The Heart's Betrayal
by shakeitsalome
Summary: Vanessa can't breathe. Will she continue to settle for 'good enough' or will she finally follow her heart? Randy/OC/Wade Rated M for coarse language, sexual situations, and scenes of abuse.
1. Chapter 1

"Here we go, babe."

His shoulders straightened as his music started and he was transformed into the superstar that fans either loved or hated. She slipped her hand into his, once again feeling diminutive next to his six-foot-plus frame despite the sky-high heels she wore. She had time only to draw in a deep breath before they walked into the arena.

Oh, the explosion of screams that greeted him. She never kidded herself; she knew they weren't for her. A few of the little girls, perhaps, were happy to see her, but a vast majority of the seventy-some thousand people that were on their feet were cheering him.

Him. Randy Orton.

She kept her head held straight as they walked down the ramp, eyes on the ring before them. His opponent waited in the far corner, a mere shadow of a man now that all eyes were on Randy. As they proceeded – achingly slow in her mind – she was aware of a few catcalls from some of the men in the audience. She knew her place, though, and would never dare to even look towards those that called to her. Besides, it took too much focus to make it to the ring on the high heels they insisted she wear. At least tonight her dress was reasonably demure, so she wouldn't have to worry about her breasts spilling out the top.

He dropped her hand when they reached the steps and his piercing blue eyes scanned their surroundings before he dipped to catch her lips in a kiss. The screams and applause seemed to magnify tenfold. At least his fans tolerated her. She slipped her hands to rest on his chest briefly, meeting his eyes as he broke the kiss. "Be careful, babe," she whispered, taking a step back. As rehearsed, he went up the steps ahead of her, climbing into the ring and staring down his opponent. She was left to her own devices when it came to getting in the ring.

She would never understand why precisely it was necessary that she get into the ring. But she didn't sign the checks, so she didn't complain. Once in the ring, she stood at his side, giving the referee a nod as Randy slid the title belt from his shoulder. A brilliant smile lit her face as he placed it in her hands, and she held it over her head, rounding the ring once before slipping out. She was grateful to hand it over for safekeeping during the match and took her place, eyes on the man she was paid to be in love with.

Easiest job ever, she decided as the bell rang.

As always, she was awed by his presence in the ring. He circled his opponent like a tiger circled a felled antelope. She knew, of course, how the two men had choreographed the match, but watching him never failed to take her breath away. Each time he dominated the crowd went wild, each time his opponent ruled the crowd cheered at Randy to get back on his feet. She knew when to call out encouragements and when to remain silent. She knew to stay the hell away from the announcers' table and to lean over so she wouldn't block the views of the fans at ringside.

Three months and she was practically a pro.

She cheered when her man won and the title was handed over as she climbed into the ring again. She eyed his bloody lip worriedly as she gave him the belt, watching as he climbed onto the turnbuckle for a victory pose.

Best job ever.

Vanessa Tyler wasn't a Diva. It just wasn't in the cards right now. At least she was signed onto WWE. At least her face was in front of the fans. At least... At least she had him.

* * *

><p>"Oh, God, baby," Randy panted, hands making fists in the pillow as he gave one final, powerful thrust of his hips. Vanessa's body tightened, fingers clawing at his back. He pressed against her harder, to the point of pain. A low moan began in his throat, but by the time it passed his lips it was a hearty roar, overtaking her sharp scream. He collapsed, breathless, over her.<p>

Struggling to pull oxygen into her lungs, she unclenched her fingers and smoothed her palms along his back. His skin was still slick from the oil sprayed on him before his match, and, when mixed with the sweat from their lovemaking, she had barely been able to hold onto him. "Babe," she gasped, pushing gently at his shoulders. He groaned, lips nudging her temple before he rolled away. Sweet relief, she thought as she sucked in a breath. When her vision returned to normal and she wasn't at the point of hyperventilating, she shifted to face him.

"One day," he began, raising a hand to signal that she wait a moment. He drew in several deep breaths, hand falling to his face to muffle a yawn. "One day, I'm going to fuck you in a real bed."

Vanessa laughed softly, reached with one foot to give the covers a tug. "This is a real bed," she reminded when his long arm snaked down to help her with the tangled sheets and blanket.

As though to prove his point, the wail of a passing truck's horn filled the space. He quirked an eyebrow at her as he brought the covers over their cooling bodies. "No, this is a bed on a damn tour bus. I want you in a real bed."

"The hotels..." she trailed, tucking herself close to his side. She lifted up slightly to allow his arm to slide around her before resting her head on his chest.

"Like I want Ted or Cody or some other dipshit knowing when we have sex," he muttered.

"One would think you'd be proud of having sex on a regular basis," she retorted.

Randy grunted, free arm reaching for the light switch. When they were bathed in darkness, he sighed. "You're coming home with me on my next break. Hell, everybody knows we're together. And I've got some clout, I can make sure you get the same days off as me."

"Sounds like a plan." She nodded, stretching her legs out as far as they would go. One foot met with resistance and she pushed at it. Then, remembering he had tossed his title onto the bed when they left the arena, she pulled her foot back.

"Then when I get back I can just grin at the bastards so they'll know I got laid without them hearing it."

"You're so cocky," she groaned, leaning to offer a goodnight kiss.

"You love that I'm cocky." He brought her over him. Seemingly so she would think he wanted to touch her all night long, but she knew it was because he wanted to be able to stretch out on the bed. "Or do you just love my cock?"

Vanessa rolled her eyes in the darkness and slipped a kiss to his chest. Resting her head over his heart, she smiled at the steady thumping of his heartbeat. "Goodnight, Randy."

* * *

><p>"New angle," Randy announced as he entered the dressing room. The door slammed against the wall before swinging back, and he kicked back one foot to make sure it shut. "Fucking writers."<p>

Vanessa looked up from her laptop, eyes moving to the wall to gauge it for damage. Her gaze landed on his face and all worries about the building flew from her mind. "What's wrong, babe?" she asked. She rose to her feet, all thoughts of emailing Stephanie gone as her boyfriend began to pace the room. It was the same pacing he did in the ring when waiting for an opponent. His expression an unreadable mask. The papers in his hand were tossed onto the small table and she felt a familiar creep up her spine when his fists began to clench. "Babe..."

"You. They fucking want you." He kicked the couch and she flinched. "A goddamn love triangle. How's that for bullshit?"

Her eyes widened and she dared to step in front of him, stopping his pacing. "A love triangle? You can't be serious."

"Read it yourself," he snarled.

Picking up the scattered papers, she leaned on the arm of the couch as he turned away. Curious, she scanned the documents for the mention of her name. Storylines were rarely given in full. Matches, title transfers and major rivalries were given well in advance, but usually backstage fodder was handed over barely a week in advance. Everyone knew that if a title was to be transferred there would be an arc to build up the upcoming match. Pay-per-view matches were always built up to ensure anticipation.

Love triangles, she was almost sure, were a rarity. With the PG era firmly in place, they would never show heels putting the moves on a face's girl. Or vice versa. Oh, there were a few, but the arcs always seemed to die out due to lack of interest. Or they were a ploy that led to a heel turn.

She read over the paragraph she found three times. Yes, she'd read right. The producers had actually approved a love triangle. Featuring _her_. She couldn't help but feel a little flattered. After three months as nothing but glorified arm candy for the cameras, she had feared she would never advance. Except for one tiny arc the month before, she'd done nothing more than urge her man on. And the brief feud between Randy and Stephen after she had been body-checked by Sheamus ringside had fizzled out after just two weeks.

Now, they really wanted to do something with her. On-camera talking. Involvement in the ring beyond standing at Randy's side. She felt a thrill and was about to exclaim her excitement when she read over the paragraph a fourth time. When she finally registered the name of her new love interest, she felt all the excitement flee her body.

"Babe... It's going to be okay," she attempted to soothe. She couldn't help wondering if he was so mad because they wanted to use her in a love triangle, or whether the anger stemmed from his opponent. She had no idea why her boyfriend was so against the man. Their feud had faded over time, long before she even came into the picture. She actually found him charming, if a little standoffish. She wondered how _he_ was reacting to the angle.

"That bastard. All the men on the roster and they picked him." Randy whirled to face her. "You're not doing anything with him."

"Randy," she sighed. "I kind of have to. I'm under contract-"

"I don't mean that. This isn't going to turn into some great friendship between the two of you. That asshole is not fit to wipe dog shit off your shoe." He caught her shoulders, fingers clenching painfully. "The only time you need to be around him is when we're going over a script or doing the on-air bullshit. You understand?"

"Randy, you're hurting me," she whispered, struggling to slip away from his grasp. His fingers tightened, nails digging into her flesh and she felt tears gather in her eyes. "Randy-"

"Do you understand?" he asked in a low voice.

"Y-yes," she whimpered, dropping the papers. "I understand. Please-" she cut off with a gasp when he released her, immediately reaching to cup her hands over her aching shoulders.

"I'm going to the ring."

Vanessa nodded, too numb to speak. She cringed as the door slammed shut behind him. "He didn't mean it," she whispered to herself, fingers moving in slow circles to alleviate the pain he had created. "He didn't mean it."

* * *

><p>"Good god, what the hell happened to you?"<p>

Vanessa paused at the question. Halfway through removing the oversized t-shirt she had thrown on over her bathing suit, she let it fall back into place and turned to look at Cody Runnells. "What?"

"Your shoulders," Cody answered. "Looks like you and Orton have been getting freakier than normal."

She thought of the dark bruises that marred her shoulders and bit the inside of her lip. "He got a little carried away," she murmured. Deciding it best to leave her shirt on, she leaned back in her lounge chair and reached into her bag for her Kindle.

"No kidding." Cody dropped into the seat beside her after brushing his lips over her cheek. "How's my sweet Southern-fried chickadee? Missed you last week."

"Well if you weren't traipsing all around the world," she sighed dramatically, laughing when he rolled his eyes. Cody had become one of her closest friends in WWE after she had been signed on. He was one of the few men that didn't mind practicing with her in the ring. Not that she had anything to practice for... She pushed the thought away and reminded herself that it was good to keep in shape. "How's the shoulder?"

"The truth? I've had worse and I'll survive." To prove his point, he rotated his arm in a wide circle. "The real truth? It hurts like a sonofabitch, which is why I'm just a mouthpiece tonight."

"How y'all don't fall apart walking to the ring is beyond me." Her gaze moved to the pool, where Randy and Stephen were in the midst of a rowdy game of volleyball. Each time the ball was sent to their side of the net by Bryan and Drew, the two men grappled in the water in order to send it back. On the other side of the pool, a few Divas laid out to soak in the rays of the afternoon sun.

"We manage." Cody took a sip of Pepsi and nudged her leg with his foot. "Alright, give. What's the deal on this feud?"

She would never understand how the man always knew what was bothering her. "Other than the fact that I'm going to be fought over like a piece of meat? I don't know. I'm just hoping I can prove myself good enough for..." She sighed and turned on her Kindle.

"You are good enough, Nessa. Do you have any idea how much some of the guys want to bring back inter-gender matches? We haven't had a woman that could take on a man in years."

It was a topic they had touched on so much she knew what he would say before he said it. "You know everything. Why do they hate each other?"

"I don't have a clue. I just know they have since Nexus."

"You are absolutely no help." Vanessa watched Randy duck Stephen to get to the ball. He slammed it into the net, his laughter joining the others' as Ted dove to retrieve it. "He's worried."

"What about? Are you telling me Randall Keith Orton is scared you'll actually be charmed by Wade Barrett?"

"A little." The ball flew through the air, landing on the cement surrounding the pool. Her gaze followed it as it rolled across the surface, leaving a wet trail. It was stopped by a large foot. She trailed her gaze up the powerful body the foot was attached to and heard Cody chuckle as she realized who it was.

"Speak of the devil," Cody said ominously.

* * *

><p>"You're looking lovely tonight." His voice was soft, so different from the usual forceful tone he used that she was taken aback. Steely blue eyes looked up from the page in his hand when she remained silent. "I believe it's your turn to speak, love."<p>

Every female in his presence was 'love'. Vanessa wet her lips and looked down at her paper. It was hard to concentrate with the loud music playing in the hotel's gym. She would have preferred to run their lines somewhere quiet. Not that she had many lines... Two whole words. "Thank you."

"A pity," he read, tone changing to one of amusement. "Orton doesn't realize what a treasure he has in you does he?"

Two more words. "Excuse me?"

"You're little more than a coat rack to him, love. You carry his title, you stand ringside, and you hold his hand when he makes his exit." His eyes met hers again.

God, he had beautiful eyes. "Wade," she read, using an amused tone. "Randy makes me very happy. If he didn't, I wouldn't be with him."

"You should be with someone who would treat you as the lady you are." He made a harrumphing noise in his throat, then nodded. "Alright, love?"

"Sounds good to me. Where are we doing this?" she asked, forcing her gaze back to the paper. As he spoke, she read the words at the top of the page.

"Outside the dressing room." Wade Barrett stood and pushed his chair back under the table.

Was he really taller than Randy? She hadn't realized it before, but now felt her neck starting to strain from having to lean her head back so far. _I should be used to it by now. I'm surrounded by giants every day_, she thought, mentally cursing the genes that had stopped her growth at just over five feet. Giving him a nod, she reached for her water. "I'll see you tonight, then."

"Tonight," he echoed. He smiled, that crooked, usual smile. But this time it didn't come across as cocky as it normally did. "Don't worry, love. I'll try not to woo you too convincingly. Can't have Orton's little heart broken, can we?"

She murmured a goodbye as he turned and left the gym, her eyes narrowing. It was going to take an Oscar-worthy performance on her part if the fans were expected to believe she may be falling for the man. Little heart, indeed. And when they had first read over the script he had suggested she wear something more becoming than her usual ringside fare. What did he expect? This was the WWE, not a ballroom.

Draining her water, she crumpled the empty bottle in her hand, not missing Randy's steady gaze from the doorway. She'd show Wade Barrett. She had heard through the grapevine that he wasn't convinced she could act well enough to pull off a triangle. And apparently he didn't like the way she dressed for shows. He wanted a becoming, well-prepared co-star? He'd get one.

She'd show them all.

**AN: Thank you all for reading. This is my first Wrestling fic and I'm a bit nervous about posting it. Thoughts, opinions and constructive criticism accepted. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Randy watched the exchange on the monitor. Face impassive, he looked on as the Brit – Wade Fuckin' Barrett – oozed charm on Vanessa. He shook his head as the camera panned down so all could see what she wore.

He would be the first to admit he knew jack about ladies' fashion. He would overhear her sometimes, talking about scoop necklines, handkerchief hems, cap sleeves. It was all Greek to him. All that mattered, in his opinion, was that he liked what she slipped into.

He liked the color. It was a soft turquoise, which he knew always made her eyes stand out. The material was either satin or silk, he couldn't remember. All he knew was that it had felt good under his fingers when he'd held her before the show. He didn't know what the style was called; whatever it was, it showed no cleavage. It hugged her curves but wasn't obscenely tight, and the hem fell to just above her knees. A thin gold chain glittered at her throat. The silky hair he loved to hold onto was swept into a twist and he longed to pluck the pins out and into the trash.

Arms folded over his chest, he watched the exchange on the monitor. Why had she insisted on wearing something out of her usual style? What had she said? _Something different_.

Something different. He'd rolled his eyes then, and rolled his eyes now. He'd never known her to want to dress like that before. It looked like something a spinster would wear to church. There was no way men would find her appealing in that.

A slow smile pulled at his lips. On the monitor, his girlfriend shook her head and went in the opposite direction of Barrett. Of course. She was smart, she knew better than to entice a man he despised.

She knew better than to entice any man.

* * *

><p>"What did you think?"<p>

It was the first thing she said when they entered the hotel. Randy rubbed his face and stepped past the overnight bags between the door and the bed. "About what?" he mumbled, emptying his pockets onto the dresser.

"My segment." Vanessa chewed on her bottom lip as a handful of change clattered on the wood. Stepping up behind him, she slid her arms around his waist, resting her forehead against his back.

"It was great, except for him."

She heard his hands fall to the dresser and closed her eyes, kissing his back tenderly. "Babe?" she ventured. One hand lifted, covering hers, and she sighed when he brought it up to rest over his heart. "It's not for real. Wade Barrett is no more interested in me than I'm interested in putting the moves on Cena." His thumb lightly traced the back of her hand. She stayed silent, feeling him relax a bit with each breath he took. Without realizing it, she held her breath, tense as she waited for him to fly into a fit of anger. And her mouth opened before she could sensor her thoughts. "Randy... Why do you hate him so much?"

When he reached back and pulled her so she was in front of him, his touch was gentle. She caught their reflections in the mirror on the wall, barely registering the anxiety on her face as his lips brushed her ear. Her eyes fluttered shut, the warmth of his breath soothing her. His moves were gentle, tender, but she felt the tension in his form. "I don't want to talk about him," he whispered, mouth blazing a trail along the curve of her neck.

Vanessa's hands fell to the dresser, holding on as he nibbled her earlobe. She parted her lips to ask who it was he didn't want to talk about. Randy's hand slid up her bare arm, long fingers sweeping over the curve of her breast, and she momentarily lost her ability to speak. A soft gasp pulled from her throat as his hand grasped her shoulder and she flinched.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. His grip loosened and then he was plucking open the buttons of the loose flannel shirt she had thrown on before leaving the arena. He nudged it away, beard tickling as he softly kissed the faint bruising on her skin. "I never meant to hurt you, Vanessa."

Her shirt hit the floor, followed quickly by her bra. He continued to kiss her shoulders, as he had each night since he had grabbed her that day in the dressing room. As though he could erase the pain. She trembled, wavering between agony and delight. When he caught her hips and turned her to face him she saw him leaning close for a kiss. The piercing blue eyes that had captivated her from their first meeting sent her back to the fear of that moment and she turned her head at the last moment.

"I'm sorry," he said again, lips remaining on her cheek. "God, babe, I'd never hurt you. I've told you how sorry I am every day. Don't you believe me?"

"Yes," she whispered, tears gathering in her eyes at his tenderness.

"I love you. So much," he vowed. Warm hands cupped her face, much in the way one would cradle a newborn kitten. She blinked rapidly to ward away the tears before finally meeting his gaze. He brought his lips to hers again and this time she didn't turn away. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

They weren't perfect, she rationalized as she was lifted and carried to the bed. They never had been and she knew they never would be. Practice, she knew, did not bring on perfection when it came to their relationship. But, she reminded herself, lips parting beneath his, he loved her. That was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>"Oh, fuck," Cody gasped as he doubled over. He staggered back, throwing one hand up to signal he needed a moment.<p>

Bouncing on the balls of her feet, Vanessa reached up to drag her hair into a ponytail. The nearly-empty arena echoed with the sounds of the crew setting up for the night's taping. Keyed up, she had convinced her friend to spend some time in the ring with her. It wasn't as though she had any matches planned in the foreseeable future. Training in the gym got boring after a while.

"What's the matter?" she asked, continuing to bounce in time to the Fall Out Boy song playing through the sound system. "Gonna let a little lady get the better of you?"

Cody groaned as he straightened. "If that little lady's you? Hell yes. Christ, you're going to kill me one day."

Vanessa rolled her eyes and moved backwards so she was in the center of the ring. She knew better than to fall for Cody's sufferings. She had learned quickly that if she came forward to show compassion he would quickly get the best of her. "Today's not that day, Codes, so how about we get on with it?"

"Doesn't Randy work all this pent-up energy out of you at night?" he asked with a groan moments later as he lay sprawled on his back. He lifted his head to see where she was and saw her leaning in the far corner. Her eyes narrowed, and she pulled herself onto the bottom turnbuckle. "Fuck." He sprang to his feet and leaned forward in preparation. She was now crouched on the top turnbuckle. "Nessa..."

Too late. She stood to her full height, sixty-one inches of irritated female, and sprang. Her feet connected with his chest, sending him flying back onto the mat. He landed with a groan of agony, vaguely aware of her landing nearby. The song playing ended, quickly moving into another upbeat song that she liked and he threw up a hand in defeat.

"You've been lying down since we got in the ring, Codes. Is it naptime?" she teased.

"Obviously I didn't bring my A game," he wheezed, taking the outstretched hand and pulling himself into a seated position.

"I think you just like to make me look good." She tossed him a towel and sat in front of him.

Cody released a half-hearted chuckle. "Oh no, you found me out," he muttered sarcastically, lifting the towel to his face. "Now you'll really kick my ass." He reached forward and took the bottle of water from her hand. "Wait till tomorrow to do that, okay?"

"I'll pencil you in," she promised with a soft laugh. The clatter of folding chairs assailed her hearing and she snatched her water back. "I better grab a bite to eat. I have to get dolled up for the opening."

"What was with that last week?" he asked, rolling out of the ring. He winced as he landed on his feet. He would never tell her, but she had caused some damage. "You looked like you were going to some fancy party."

"If I wear my usual, I'll be pegged as a slut trying to nab Barrett." She rolled her eyes as she unplugged her iPod from the sound tech's computer. Slipping the gadget into her bag, she headed backstage. "I ran it past Creative first," she assured when he joined her at the top of the ramp. "I was never crazy about showing everything my mama gave me on TV anyway."

"What are you wearing tonight?"

She smiled, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek. "You'll see," she cooed before heading in the direction of Catering.

Plate piled high, she took a corner table and pulled out her iPod. It took a moment to untangle the cord of her earphones and she cursed them under her breath before slipping one into her left ear, cranking the volume after starting her music. Smashing Pumpkins began playing, the strains of _Tonight, Tonight_ soothing her as she started her lunch. Around her was the usual jumble of activity before a taping. Most people darted in to grab a quick bite, others took the time to actually sit for a few moments. Alicia Fox wandered in for a bottle of water, hair in rollers and makeup half done. She stopped to chat with Vanessa for a few moments before wandering back out to have her makeup and hair finished.

Feeling like a glutton, Vanessa pushed her plate away and reached for her drink. Time in the ring always made her ravenous. Checking the clock on the wall, she groaned when she saw the time. As usual, she would be rushing to get ready on time. And she had hoped to be able to spend time alone with Randy before the show. She gathered her trash as she rose to her feet, barely taking two steps before she was jerked back. She turned and watched in horror as the force of the pull sent her iPod flying to the floor. Of course. Flinging her trash into the can, she gathered the earphones cord, eyes scanning the floor for her precious red gadget. Her _expensive_, precious gadget.

Dropping to her knees, she looked under the table and felt a rush of relief when she spied it on the other side. _Please be alright_, she begged silently as she crawled around to retrieve it. There was no way she'd be able to replace it anytime soon. She promised the gods of technology she would take care of it in the future. Scooping it up, she sat back on her heels and allowed herself to exhale when it responded to her pressing buttons. It wasn't until she turned it off and lifted her head that she saw someone standing in front of her.

Her gaze traveled up long legs that were concealed by track pants, faltering at the sight of bare, flat abs. Large hands rested on the hips and she swallowed anxiously when she finally pulled her eyes to his face. The thin lips, the cleft chin, the crooked nose. And those eyes...

"Everything alright, love?" he asked. A hand fell from his waist and she tensed, staring as it was stretched out to her.

She tentatively slid her hand into his and felt... She didn't know how to describe the shiver that went down her spine as he helped her to her feet. When her hand was released she took a step back. "Yes," she finally answered, offering the smallest of smiles. "Thank you." She looked down at her iPod again, powering it up. "I think it's alright. It hit the floor and went for a spin..." She cleared her throat, plugging in the earphones. And felt all relief over finding the thing rush away as no sound came through. "No," she groaned, forgetting Barrett's presence as she fiddled with every control. "No, no, no..."

"It's replaceable, isn't it?" he asked, hand covering hers to slip the gadget away.

"Yes, but..." Her eyes wandered to the clock and she felt a sudden panic. "Throw it away for me, please? I have to get ready for the show. See you later."

* * *

><p>Walking along the hallway next to AJ, Vanessa nodded as her friend chattered on about entrance music. Both women slowed when Wade Barrett approached, turning to keep their gazes on him as he passed by. He turned back, face unreadable as he looked them over from head to toe. Vanessa would have sworn she felt his stare burning into her flesh. His lips tilted in a smirk. "Ladies," he murmured before continuing on his way.<p>

Turning back so she faced the camera, AJ rolled her eyes. "He's a strange one."

Vanessa looked back again just before Wade rounded the corner and felt that shiver run down her spine when he turned to look at her. Turning on her heel, she resumed her walk next to AJ. "No kidding. Have you noticed he never talks unless it's in the ring?"

"He talked to you last week," AJ reminded with a playful grin. "And he's always looking at you."

It sounded so middle-school that Vanessa wanted to laugh. "Right. I told him off, though, didn't I? I'm not interested in him at all."

"Who would be, with Randy Orton waiting for you?" AJ flicked a lock of hair over her shoulder. "You're so lucky, Vanessa."

The man in question was just behind the cameraman, leaning against the wall as though he hadn't a care in the world. As though he weren't about to have a match against the man he despised both on and off the camera. Vanessa voiced an agreement, smiling as Randy pushed away from the wall and sauntered towards them. She knew the moment the crowd had spotted him on the Titantron, the screams and cheers audible in the deserted hallway backstage.

"Speak of the devil," AJ laughed. "Good luck, Randy."

Randy nodded as the petite brunette walked away, his gaze never leaving Vanessa. The belt slung over his shoulder gleamed in the light as he reached for her hand. "Ready, babe?" he asked.

"Always," she answered.

They rounded the corner, seemingly in position for Randy to make his entrance. He stopped, turning to face her and she was drawn into the penetrating blue eyes that she knew so well. "Wish me luck?"

"You don't need it." The audience agreed, their cheers audible again as Randy smirked. She leaned up for a kiss and relaxed when the cameraman announced they were clear. Sighing softly as his tongue traced her lips, she leaned onto her tiptoes to intensify the kiss. "Be careful out there."

"Always," he whispered. "...Are you barefoot or something?" he chuckled, hands grabbing her hips to pull her closer.

"I turned my ankle in the ring with Cody earlier," she murmured. "Heels didn't seem like a good idea."

"I'll kick his ass later." He tensed as Wade Barrett's theme started.

"Who's slated to win?" she asked, though she knew it was useless to inquire. Randy never told her. He liked to keep the element of surprise. But she could tell by the way his fingers dug into her hips that it wasn't him.

* * *

><p>The crowd heaved a collective gasp of disbelief as Randy was slammed to the mat. He lay, motionless as Wade Barrett pinned him. The referee's hand fell to the mat once, twice, three times, and the bell seemed to echo in the arena as Wade rolled away.<p>

Vanessa clapped a hand over her mouth as the fans jeered and booed. Randy hadn't let on that the match would be quite so brutal. She barely heard Wade's theme start as his arm was raised in victory, her entire focus on the still motionless figure of her boyfriend. Praying it was only for show, she pulled herself onto the apron, climbing between the ropes and hurrying to his side. His chest rose and fell, a bruise appearing on his cheek from being thrown against the turnbuckle. Kneeling, she was about to take his hand in hers when a shadow fell over them. She snapped her head up, eyes narrowing in anger. He hadn't needed to use so much force.

"Miss Tyler," he greeted, leaning to catch her hand. She tried to pull away, but his strength far surpassed hers. His lips brushed over her knuckles as their gazes met. A slight bow of his head and he was gone.

Backstage, she held Randy's hand as he was checked by the medic. An icepack was prepared and pressed to his cheek, causing him to hiss. "Babe," she murmured, free hand resting over the fingers that clutched her hand.

"I'm alright. That bastard went overboard is all." He sat up, wincing, and she foresaw a soak in a hot tub when they reached the hotel. "What the hell did he do to you? I heard some fans bitching at him."

"He just kissed my hand." She squeezed his hand. "That wasn't planned?"

"Fuck no." Randy looked to the medic. "Can I go?"

"Keep ice on that cheek. Rest tomorrow. You should be fine."

They had barely made it in the dressing room when the ice pack went into the trash. Vanessa kept silent, going about changing into her street clothes as Randy raged silently. Slipping her feet from the black patent leather flats, she reached for zipper of her pink dress. She had barely lowered it an inch when a hand clamped around her wrist. The soft growl from his throat was all she heard before she was slammed against the wall. Crying out in surprise, she trembled at the look on his face.

He pinioned her wrists to the wall with one hand, the other jerking her upwards for his kiss. His lips crashed against hers with a fierceness he had never shown before. "Mine," he growled when her lips parted. His hand worked the skirt of her dress up to her hips as he pressed her tighter to the wall. "You're mine, babe."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak as his fingers tugged on her panties. Her eyes closed as the fabric scraped against her skin, barely hearing the soft ripping. He shifted and she felt him there, hard and ready.

"If he touches you again, I'll kill him," he whispered, surging forward without preamble. She cried out at the sudden intrusion, nowhere near ready for him, eyes opening when his hand clamped over her mouth. "Shh..." He planted soft kisses along her neck, gasping as the need to plow ahead threatened to take over. His fingers squeezed her jaw until she finally looked into his eyes.

The rage there caused her to tremble in fear. She struggled to speak, but he shook his head.

"Shh."

She nodded again as his hand fell to her hip, holding her still for the onslaught of his thrusts. Pinned to the wall, she could do nothing but pray he would work the anger out of his system soon.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you to all who've reviewed and added this to your favorites! I squee a little each time I get an email alert about that. :) Also, when I first started plotting this I never meant for Randy to be an abusive jerk, it just happened. I must say, I love writing him as an asshole. Enjoy! **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"How was your workout?"

Randy looked up from untying his shoes and smiled when he saw Vanessa leaning in the doorway leading to the bathroom. "Good," he answered, motioning for her to move nearer. Her eyes shadowed and she hesitated, causing his heart to twist painfully.

She was afraid of him.

Standing, he approached her as casually as possible, hand sliding to her waist to draw her near. "Babe," he whispered. "I sound like a broken record, but... I'm sorry. I was pissed about-"

"It's okay," she interrupted. The falsehood sounded outrageous, even to him, and he hated the way she kept her gaze lowered.

"It's not okay. I hurt you. I..." He faltered, dipping to press a kiss to the top of her head. "I'd do anything for you, Vanessa. Anything in the world." He closed his eyes, heart twisting again when he recalled the way she had looked the night before. The way she had shied away from his touch when they'd gotten to the hotel. The fact that she had moved to the small couch under the window after he had fallen asleep. "I didn't realize I hurt you until later. It sounds like just an excuse, but at the time..."

"Why?" she whispered, hands sliding to rest on his chest. "Why were you so mad?"

"You know how I feel about him."

"Yes, I do. If it were anyone else would you react this way?" she asked.

Straight and to the point. She'd been that way when they'd first met. He was chagrined to realize a bit of the fire in her spirit had dimmed in recent months. Had he done that to her? Inhaling the scent of her shampoo, he slipped another kiss to the top of her head, reveling in the softness of her hair. "No," he answered honestly.

"I don't want you mad at me." Her voice was tentative. "I don't like the man you were last night. I fell in love with a man who was sweet and caring and had this goofy laugh."

He didn't much care for the man he'd been the night before, either. But her last words caused him to lean back so he could look at her quizzically. "Goofy laugh?"

"Well, yeah." She smiled and finally met his gaze. A real smile, the kind that caused her eyes to brighten. The smile that had captivated him from their first meeting. "It was one night shortly after I joined Raw. A bunch of people got together in someone's hotel room – I think it was John's – to watch movies." She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, I wasn't really invited. I just tagged along..."

"You mean that night we ended up watching _Titanic_?" he asked with a chuckle, letting her slip from his grasp. Turning, he watched her move to the bed, where she flopped against the pile of pillows. "I was drunk that night!"

"You weren't drunk until someone put in _The Godfather_. You were still sober when the ship started to sink. Someone said the people sliding down the deck and hitting the...whatever they're called, was like a pinball machine and you started this god-awful goofy laugh."

Randy blinked as he peeled off his t-shirt. Tossing it into the bathroom, he then moved to join her on the bed, lying prone atop the covers. He propped his chin on one hand. "My laugh is not goofy."

"Oh, babe, it really is. Not your usual little chuckles, mind you." She raised a hand and smoothed her fingers down the side of his face. "I'm talking about that big belly laugh you get when something's really funny." His hand caught hers and she smiled again. "You sound like Woody Woodpecker." Her teeth pulled at her bottom lip as she leaned in to slip a kiss over his mouth. Then, hand squeezing his, she imitated the cartoon character's signature laugh.

It was so unexpected he began to laugh. When she leaned back with a triumphant grin he laughed harder, dropping his head to the pillow to muffle the sound. "You're so full of shit," he gasped, cracking up again when she mimicked his laugh. "I'm not that high-pitched!"

"Close enough," she decided, squealing when he caught her wrist and yanked her close. His lips met hers in what he had hoped would be a sweet kiss, but their mutual laughter made it impossible, causing them to laugh harder.

Breathless, he rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. He struggled to keep from laughing, but when a series of giggles from her ended with a sharp snort, his laughter began anew. "My god, stop," he begged in a whisper, bringing his hands to his face as his eyes began to water. "You're killing me."

She giggled again, this time punctuated by a hiccup, sliding down on the bed so she lay next to him. He reached for her hand and raised it up; watched her fingers spread to accommodate his before their hands melded together. "I love you," she whispered when the laughter had died.

"I love you too," he promised, bringing her hand to his lips for a soft kiss. "I'm so sorry, babe. Please tell me you forgive me." He touched his lips to each of her knuckles, eyes never leaving her face. She hesitated, fingers trembling between his, and he brought his lips to hers. "Please, Vanessa. This is killing me."

"I came so close to leaving you last night, Randy," she whispered.

The news startled him; he sat up straight, staring at her in shock. "You what?"

"I was going to leave you." She bit her lip when his fingers tightened around hers.

He forced his hand to unclench, letting her hand slip away. Hunching over, he braced his elbows on his knees and drew in a deep breath. "Why didn't you?" he asked under his breath. He saw the question in her eyes and had to clutch the sheet tangled beneath him to keep from grabbing her. The very thought of her not being with him sent him into a panic. She was his. Closing his eyes, he pulled his lips between his teeth and didn't speak until she whispered his name. "What kept you from leaving me?"

"This," she answered after a moment, reaching for his hand again. Sitting up, she blew a lock of hair from her face and pressed her palm to his. Raising her head, she met his gaze, turquoise eyes shining with tears that threatened to spill over. One did, starting a trail down his cheek, and he lifted his free hand to brush it away. "I know, you hate to see me cry," she murmured.

One corner of his mouth tilted into an understanding smile as he cupped his hand over her cheek. "I hate being the one to make you cry more."

"I didn't leave last night because... When I look into your eyes, I know everything will be okay. No matter how angry you are, or how upset I am, all I have to do is see your eyes and know in my heart that we'll make it." Another tear slipped from her eye and he was quick to brush it away. When he had, she shifted to her knees so she could look him in the eye without straining. Hands resting on his shoulders, she pressed her forehead to his and all he could see was her eyes. "You looked at me last night just when I was going to tell you I had to get away. And... I couldn't. I couldn't leave, because I knew it would hurt you more than anything. And I never want to be the one that breaks your heart."

"I don't know what I'd do without you," he whispered. He wanted to speak louder, so she would know how fervently he meant the words, but knew the moment would be ruined if he raised his voice. "I'm glad you stayed. And I promise, I'll do better. Just, please..." Randy drew in a breath and reached with his free hand to cup her other cheek. His fingers were trembling; he slid them through her hair, hoping she wouldn't notice. "Please tell me you forgive me."

* * *

><p>"We should do something," Vanessa decided as she tilted her head forward to brush her hair into a high ponytail. She heard Randy chuckle behind her and turned to see him sitting up in bed. "I don't mean sex."<p>

"Thank God," he breathed in mock relief. "If I had to go again I think I'd die."

She felt her cheeks warm, ducking her head as she pulled on her jeans. She supposed she had been a little ravenous that morning. But after their talk about the night before, she had needed to show him that she loved him. And it was impossible to stop after just one taste... The man should have come with a warning. Pondering what it would be, she yanked a pink sweater over her head. _Once he pops, you can't stop_, she thought with a soft snicker, grabbing a pair of socks from the suitcase on the dresser. "What do you say, babe? We rarely have a day off together. Do you really want to spend it in a hotel room?"

"Well..." He laughed when she rolled her eyes. "Let's grab lunch and see what Richmond has to offer."

"A few museums, malls, historic sites," she rattled off, having read the pamphlets provided by the hotel already. Smiling when an inked arm snaked around her waist, she leaned into him. "We could rent a car and head up to King's Dominion or out to Busch Gardens... Or Colonial Williamsburg... Or..." She lost her train of thought as he nuzzled her neck. "Or... Um..."

Randy growled softly, nipping lightly at her skin before pulling away. "Call downstairs and arrange a car while I shower. We'll decide on the road."

She watched him slide from the bed and cross to the bathroom. "Hey," she called. He turned, eyebrows quirked. "I love you."

He grinned. "Love you more."

After speaking with the concierge about arranging a rental car, Vanessa pulled on a pair of shoes. She was gathering discarded clothes and haphazardly packing when there was a soft knock at the door. Pausing to close the bathroom door, she peeked out and saw a bellman. She greeted him with a smile, which flickered when he held out a small package.

"Miss Tyler, this was left downstairs for you. And your car will be waiting out front when you and Mr. Orton come down," the young man informed with a cheerful smile.

She regarded the package warily as she took it in her hands. Murmuring a quick thank you, she placed a tip in his hand and stepped back into the room, closing the door. The box was wrapped in plain white paper, her name and room number written across the top in a hasty scrawl. Turning it over, she shrugged and used a fingernail to start unwrapping it. A gasp pulled from her throat when she saw the glossy box that was graced with a picture of an iPod. A better model than the one she'd destroyed at the arena. Brow furrowed, she turned it over, biting down on her bottom lip when she saw the note taped to the back.

_One should never be without their favorite music. Apologies for my forwardness last night. WB_

Her head jerked up, gaze firmly on the closed bathroom door. She could hear the shower running, Randy's deep voice singing a song she couldn't place. Panicked, she snatched up the torn paper and crumpled it into a tight ball, shoving it deep within the trashcan next to the small desk. Staring down at the box in her hands, she had no idea what to do. Should she keep it? Should she refuse to accept it? Should she tell Randy?

Just the thought of his potential reaction caused her stomach to twist in agony. No, she couldn't tell him. Fingers shaking, she peeled the note from the box, pausing to read the words again before folding it and tucking it into her pocket. She didn't know why she didn't throw it away.

"It's his way of apologizing," she whispered to herself a moment later as she lifted the lid. "It would be rude to not accept it. Besides, I need my music..."

"Why are you talking to yourself?"

She whirled around, squeaking in surprise. Her gaze flickered over her boyfriend's bare chest, still damp from his shower. A towel hung loosely on his hips as he opened his suitcase. "Just trying to talk myself into keeping something," she answered. Well, it was the truth.

"Yeah?"

No hint of suspicion. Wetting her lips, she motioned to the box lying on the dresser. "I went out and bought a new one yesterday afternoon," she hastily explained. "My other one bit the dust."

He nodded, tossing his towel aside. "You needed a new one."

"True. But it is a little expensive." She bit her lip, toying with the hem of her sweater. "I don't know if I can afford it right now."

"It's an iPod, not a Ferrari," he reminded with a soft chuckle. "Keep it, enjoy it. If your funds are tight, you know I'll take care of you. Did you arrange for a car?"

"It'll be waiting out front whenever we get downstairs. And you don't have to-" she cut off when he paused, shirt halfway up his arms.

"I want to. We can afford it, babe."

We. She smiled at that word, and all it entailed. They were going to be okay. She dropped the issue and finished getting ready to leave for the afternoon. The whole time she wondered if Wade would expect her to pay him back for the gift.

* * *

><p>"Random question," Randy announced, right hand dropping from the steering wheel. Covering her hand, which rested on the console between them, he gave it a gentle squeeze, eyes never leaving the empty highway that stretched before them.<p>

"Random answer," she returned, turning her hand so their fingers twined.

"Earlier you said you fell in love with a man that was sweet and caring," he began, smiling as her thumb brushed the back of his hand. He pulled his eyes from the road to glance at her quickly. "What did I do to give you that impression?"

"The little girl," she answered softly. She must have sensed his confusion, because she gave his hand a squeeze. "Make A Wish. There was a little girl that wanted to meet her favorite superstars. Everyone made such a big deal over her. She was a VIP at the Raw taping, and spent the whole day with the crew. It really touched me how much you all care for those kids."

He nodded. "Not fishing for a compliment, but that doesn't really single me out. You could have fallen for anybody based on that."

"True. But the others..." She sighed and without looking he knew her lips were twisted in concentration. "You really connected with her. I walked into Catering and you were sitting beside her. You held her cup for her so she could drink, and you leaned close to talk to her a lot. It was like she was the only one in the room with you, y'know? And then later, you were out in the arena popping wheelies with her wheelchair and letting her fly down the ramp..." Vanessa stopped, drawing in a deep breath. "Your face lit up when she laughed. And... And the way you teared up when she was leaving. I know you thought no one noticed, but I did. You hugged her and kissed her and watched her and her mother leave..." She stopped again and out the corner of his eye he saw her dash a tear away from her cheek. "You looked heartbroken."

"Those kids..." Randy cleared his throat, not liking the hoarseness of his voice. "Those kids are great. All of them. They're stronger than the whole roster put together. I'm always blown away that they want to meet me. They're..." He had to clear his throat again. "They're dying, and the only thing they want is to meet me or the other guys."

"You're their heroes," she murmured. Her hand squeezed his again.

"And they're mine," he whispered.

"That's what made me fall for you," she said after several moments had passed. "I guess it's that whole thing about a guy being great with kids. Until then I never imagined you having kids. Then suddenly I was picturing you holding a baby or helping a tiny little thing take her first steps. Just like women get that 'aww' moment when they see any of the guys interact with a young fan. We'll be watching on the monitor backstage and I swear you can hear biological clocks start going off."

The mental image made him laugh. It also made him start to think. "Do you want kids one day?" he asked after a moment. He was surprised they had never touched on the subject before. They had been together for two months before Creative had decided to add their relationship on-air, and had known each other almost a year. He thought he knew everything about her. Her favorite movies, music, books; he could rattle those facts off whenever asked. He knew her views on politics, religion, sports, weather, technology, even whether turkey or ham was more appropriate for Christmas dinner. He knew about her family, her education, the small town in Georgia she had grown up in, her dating history, that she smoked occasionally, that was a social drinker that liked to get rip-roaring drunk once in a while, how she invested her money. Long conversations had brought out her thoughts on food, traveling, the internet, health, fitness, makeup, hair – oh, the hours of his life spent listening to her talk about everything under the sun. Everything, he realized, except how she saw herself in the future.

"One day," she admitted. "Two or three. How about you?"

"Two." He smiled. "A girl and a boy." His heart thudded in his chest. "Marriage?"

"One day," she said again.

"Yeah, same here." Unconsciously, he rubbed her ring finger with the pad of his thumb. Suddenly he imagined a diamond ring resting there. His heart thudded again.

The faceless woman he had envisioned all dressed in white, the woman that came down an aisle towards him in his dreams, now had a face. The two kids he pictured himself having in the future were no longer a hazy combination of himself and someone else. They looked like...

Vanessa.

He knew he'd never be able to let her go.

**A/N: Randy's sweeter side came out. Maybe he's not so bad... Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! :)**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Another day, another show. Vanessa went through the motions, floating happily from one task to the other, not caring when friends teased her about her sudden elated attitude. She would never have thought she and Randy could be so...happy. There was now an added bounce in her step; a ready smile on her lips. The day off, spent driving around areas of Virginia that neither would likely see again, had been the best thing that could happen to their relationship. The hours they had laid awake talking had only enhanced their reconnection.

How could she have ever thought of leaving him? It had been almost week and she still chastised herself for almost losing the best man she'd ever had.

"You're awfully chipper today. Have too much caffeine?"

She looked up from composing a text message to Randy and saw Lydia Pearson, one of the production assistants, sliding into the seat across from her. Smiling at the woman that was considered a mother figure to many of the people on the show, Vanessa sent the message and tucked her phone into her pocket. She doubted he would read it anytime soon; he was at a local radio station doing promo work. Then he would hit the gym before coming back to the venue for the house show that night. "Nope. Just in a good mood." She saw the stack of papers Lydia had placed on the table. "How are things on your end?"

"Running ragged, as usual." The older woman sighed dramatically. Despite being one of the oldest people on the crew, she had the energy of ten people half her age and was never harried. "Here's your script for this week."

Vanessa took the stapled pages and gave a nod. She would go over them in the dressing room. "What am I doing to piss off fans this week?"

"Now, honey, you know I never read the scripts. Keeps my family from bugging me for spoilers." Lydia smiled and lifted her ever-present mug of coffee to her lips.

"Everyone with a brain knows you know what's going to happen before Creative gets around to writing it," Vanessa snorted.

"And if I wasn't so in love with my job, I'd sue the bastards for intellectual plagiarism." She got to her feet, tucking the sheaf of scripts into the crook of one arm. "Take car, Vanessa. See you soon."

Vanessa had just opened the door to the dressing room when she heard a familiar voice. Looking down the hall, she saw Wade Barrett speaking with Stephen. The Irishman laughed suddenly, clapping his friend on the shoulder before ducking into the locker room. Vanessa hesitated in the doorway. Aside from spotting him here and there, she hadn't seen Wade since the iPod had been delivered to her hotel room the week before. Without questioning her intentions, she turned and walked towards him.

He must have known she would have come to him; he hadn't moved since Stephen had gone into the locker room. He stood there, watching her approach, face expressionless. She thought of cursing his arrogance, but when she neared his lips pulled into a smile and all was forgiven.

"I'd started thinking you were avoiding me," he murmured as way of greeting. "Or has Orton been keeping you to himself more than usual?"

"No on both counts. It's just been a crazy week." At the mention of her boyfriend she rested a hand over the phone in her pocket. "I wanted to thank you."

"...For?" he pressed, eyes lighting. Those incredible, gorgeous eyes – _get a hold of yourself, woman!_

"The iPod. It was too much-"

"No it wasn't. I could tell you were heartbroken when you realized it was broken. It was the least I could do."

"I really appreciate it." She tapped her fingers against the outline of her phone. "I couldn't afford a new one, not for a while at least."

"I understand." He reached up and lifted his cap, running his other hand through his hair.

"Alright." She suddenly felt anxious, as she had in middle school when speaking to the most popular boy in school. "I'll see you later then, Mr. Barrett."

He nodded and she turned in the direction of the dressing room. "Stu," he called out unexpectedly, causing her to stop full force.

"I beg your pardon?" Vanessa turned to look at him, brow furrowed in confusion.

"My name is Stu."

"As in Stuart? With a 'u' of course." Where the idea came from, she had no clue. She saw something flash in his eyes and that smile – his real smile – pulled at his lips again.

"Of course."

"Thank you." She faltered over how to excuse herself from his presence. "I won't keep you any longer. I have to..." What did she have to do? "I have to hit the ring and do some training." Where the hell had that come from? In hopes of making her lie convincing, she pulled out her phone and hurriedly tapped out a message to Cody, begging him to make time for her soon. _Pathetic_.

"Until we meet again, Miss Tyler." He bowed his head, still the consummate gentleman he was when they were on-camera despite his street clothes.

"Vanessa," she corrected. He met her eyes and that shiver made its way down her spine again. "My name is Vanessa."

"Alright. Until we meet again, Vanessa."

By the time she got a message from Cody saying he would be at the ring when he could, she had already changed and was heading in that direction. She made a mental note to thank him profusely as she tossed her towel over the bottom rope. Earphones firmly in place, she stretched to the sounds of Adele in the center of the ring, singing along under her breath. Eyes closed, she focused on the possibility of felling an opponent, no matter how slim the chances at the moment. By the time she felt the mat shake beneath her she was primed and ready for action. "God, did you take long enough?" she laughed, plucking the earphones from her ears and stuffing the cord into the pocket of her hooded sweatshirt. Making sure to turn off her iPod, she slid the sweatshirt off as she turned to face Cody.

And found herself staring right at Wade Barrett.

"H-hi," she squeaked, then cleared her throat. "I was expecting someone else."

"Cody? He's busy, signing photos." He rolled his shoulders, every inch intimidating as he was on screen. Even in track pants and a t-shirt, he was a formidable figure.

"Crap," she muttered, slapping her forehead. "I knew I should have planned this earlier." Too keyed up to even think of killing time backstage, she picked up her sweatshirt. "Guess it's the gym for me."

"What do you usually do in the ring with him?"

"I work on moves. I'm still pretty much a rookie. I haven't had a match in..." Vanessa paused, trying to recall the last time she'd stepped into the ring for more than standing at Randy's side. "Well, anyway. I want to keep on top of things. He helps me with execution. He's one of very few guys who don't hold back on me."

"I'm not as technical as Cody, but how about me?"

* * *

><p>"Where did you learn to fight like this?"<p>

Vanessa wondered if he could actually be complimenting her. It was the third time he had pinned her. He had barely broken a sweat, whereas she was practically sodden. "Older brother. He always wanted to try out what we saw on TV, so I taught myself moves." She pushed at his chest, rolling away to catch her breath. "And Cody's grappled with me since we first met."

"Your boyfriend doesn't?" he asked, one hand stretching out to help her to her feet.

"No..." she trailed. Once on her feet, she rolled her head from side to side. He was effectively kicking her ass. She couldn't remember ever being distracted when she worked with Cody. Or anyone, for that matter. She opened her mouth to explain that Randy wasn't comfortable slinging her around the ring, but hesitated when she saw the questioning look in his eyes. It occurred to her that he was asking her so many questions to distract her. The fact she'd let her guard down caused her to snap her mouth closed. Eyes narrowing, she adjusted her the pads on her knees. "Let's go."

He came towards her. It was obvious he knew she'd learned his tactic in the way he moved. A large hand reached for her elbow and she ducked, twirling behind him. One foot shot out, catching him behind the knee and she was quick to back away when he fell.

"How did you get started?" she asked when he had climbed to his feet. She kept just out of his reach, mind running double time to calculate his next move.

"That won't work on me, love." He turned as she circled him, head cocked to one side.

"I'm honestly curious, though. I know so little about you." Her eyes caught his sudden movement seconds too late. Breathless as she was clotheslined, she caught the middle rope. She tucked her legs and pushed with all her might. The buoyancy of the rope gave her the spring she needed to keep from falling. She landed on her knees, hands flat on the mat. She took two seconds to catch her breath then sprang, heels connecting with his shoulder. He only staggered on his feet, quick to grab her before she landed. She felt a momentary panic. What did it take to fell him? She landed flat on her back and stared up at the man that towered over her.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, hands on his hips.

* * *

><p>"You're sure you're alright?"<p>

"Are you kidding?" Vanessa returned with a surprised laugh. "That was probably the most fantastic ring time I've had." She looked to Wade and smiled to reassure him. "I'm fine. Nothing's broken. No bruises. No aches."

"As long as you're sure." He stopped outside the door to her dressing room. "I'll see you later then."

"Thank you." She opened the door and turned to face him. "For everything."

"You're welcome."

She watched him continue down the hall, certain he was aware of her gaze. He glanced back, caught her staring, and the smallest of cocky smirks touched his lips before he disappeared into the locker room. Sighing, she toyed with the cord of her earphones as she turned into the dressing room.

A wall of solid muscle met her face as soon as she crossed the threshold.

"Randy," she breathed in surprise, grateful for the way his hands caught her arms when she stumbled. "You're back earlier than I thought you'd be."

"Obviously," he muttered, reaching behind her to close the door. "What were you doing with Barrett?"

"I wanted to work in the ring. Cody was busy and he offered." There was no reason to lie. It wasn't as though they'd been doing something wrong. "I'm beginning to think Codes fakes half the reactions to my moves. I could barely knock – What's wrong?" she asked softly, seeing his eyes narrow with each word. "Babe... Please don't be angry. It was just two people working out together."

"You could have worked with anyone," he bit out, pulling his hands from her.

"Like you?" she retorted, instantly regretting the comment when his lips pinched in anger. "What am I supposed to do, Randy? Half the damn crew acts like I'm nothing more than your assistant. The other half is probably only nice to me because I date you. It was either take him up on his offer or sit around here with nothing to do but wait for you."

"A few months ago you wouldn't have minded waiting." He stepped away from her, one hand dragging down his face.

"A few months ago you didn't get like this every time a man spoke to me." Every iota of lightness that had come from a satisfying workout in the ring was now gone. Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly. Needing to keep her hands busy, she began packing away her laptop and various things that had spread around the room during the day. "Why does he upset you so much?"

"It's a long story. And I don't want to tell it right now."

"What did he do to you, Randy?"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!"

Frustration got the better of her. After checking to make sure she had all her things in her bag, she slung the strap over one shoulder and headed for the door. "Fine."

"Where are you going?" he demanded. He reached the door at the same time she did, and she mentally cursed his long legs. His hand slapped against the solid wood, keeping it closed.

"I need to get some fresh air. I also need a cigarette." She gave him an imploring look. "I also need the man that says he loves me to share everything with me."

He pushed away from the door, hand falling in a clenched fist. "Are you coming back?"

Vanessa opened the door while she had the chance. After stepping into the hall, she turned to meet his eyes. "I don't know," she whispered before heading for the nearest exit.

**A/N: Thanks everyone for reviewing! I was going to update over the weekend but had computer issues that resulted in a new laptop for me. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"I'm fuckin' going to fuckin' kill him."

Cody nodded in understanding. "You're not planning on doing it right now, are you?" he asked as his longtime friend. "I'm not saying you couldn't," he assured when the head lifted and he was pinned with a sharp glare. "I just think you'd be better off waiting until morning, when things are clearer... And you're sober."

Randy growled as he swallowed his next shot. Slamming the glass onto the polished wood of the bar, he reached for the bottle of tequila. "I'm not drunk."

"Right. Can you at least tell me why you're going to kill him?" Cody requested, watching the expensive liquor slosh as Randy poured another shot. Still nursing his first beer, he knew it would be his only drink of the night. It would take all his faculties to keep his friend from doing something stupid.

"You know why," Randy mumbled.

"No, I don't." Cody sighed and motioned for the bartender. Ordering a soda, he shifted on the bar stool so he faced his friend. "Is it because of the angle? Are you afraid the writers will put Nessa with him when it's all over with?" He winced when a large fist slammed on the bar. "C'mon, man. This is me, not somebody you can't trust."

Randy dragged a hand down his face. "You remember Debbie?"

Cody winced. Randy hadn't spoken of Debbie since... Well, since just before he had started dating Vanessa. He didn't even know how their relationship had ended, just that one night he had sat at a bar, much like the one they were currently in, and watched the man work his way into a drunken stupor. The ramblings of a drunken Randy were never educational, though, and all Cody could remember of that night was the fierce right hook he had taken in the cheek when he'd suggested they go back to the hotel and get some rest. "Yeah, I remember Debbie," he said softly, swirling the straw in his soda. "...What happened to her?"

"Wade Fuckin' Barrett happened to her." Randy gripped the edge of the bar tightly with one hand, the other reaching for the bottle.

"You mean – Oh," Cody breathed. He tried to picture Randy's former girlfriend – the cute, bubbly redhead that had charmed everyone she met – with the Englishman. "How did that happen?"

"How d'you think? Fuck," Randy spat as his shot glass fell from his hand and landed on the floor. He braced his elbows on the bar and buried his face in his hands. "She had the hots for him from the moment they met. There was nothin' I could do. I was too stupid to see it, y'know? Fuck, I almost asked her to marry me."

"Do what?" Cody blurted in surprise.

"I bought a ring. Was gonna ask her. Had it all planned out. Then I get a call from her at like three in the morning. Only it won't from her."

"Who was it from?"

"It was from her, but it won't from her." Randy shook his head, hands sliding to cup the back of his head as he hunched over the bar. "I heard her. She was fuckin' him."

_Ouch_. Cody winced again. He waited a few moments, hoping Randy would explain further, but nothing came. Sighing, he pushed the bottle out of reach and dug into his pocket for a sizable tip. "C'mon, let's get outta here," he suggested, noting that Randy didn't fight him as he helped him up.

"I love her," Randy mumbled as they stepped onto the elevator. He leaned against the wall, grabbing hold of the rail. "How could he do that, man? Everybody knew I loved her."

Cody suddenly foresaw a long night ahead of him. "How do you know he's going to try anything with Nessa?"

"'Cause he already is. Takin' her in the ring and shit." Randy tilted his head back and released a loud belch. "I can't lose her."

"You're not going to lose her," Cody promised softly. "She loves you."

"Then why'd she leave?" Randy surged forward and grabbed Cody's shoulders, shaking him roughly. "She said... She said... Th'fuck did she say..."

Cody grabbed the man's arms and turned him in the direction of the opening door. "You tell me."

"She's scared of me. C'you believe that? All 'cause I hurt her a few times." Randy stumbled when Cody let go of him, catching the wall before he fell to the floor. "Th'fuck?"

"You hurt her," Cody scorned. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothin'. Which way is my room?"

"How did you hurt her?" Cody demanded. He felt a sudden surge of anger at the idea of Randy causing Vanessa pain. Bros before hoes may have been the rule, but a man had to draw the line somewhere. And he would never classify the woman that was practically a sister as a hoe.

"Who?"

"Goddammit, Randy," he breathed. "How. Did. You. Hurt. Vanessa."

"I didn't hurt her." Randy stared at the wallpaper, fingers moving over the pattern as though he were fascinated by it. "Didn't mean to. And she always tol' me it was okay."

"What was okay?"

"The bruises. Didn't mean to," he repeated. "Couldn't help it. An' I feel so bad I always make it up to her."

"Jesus," Cody hissed. "All she's given up for you and you treat her like shit?"

"Wha'd she give up for me?"

"Oh, gee, I don't know, maybe _everything_?" Cody saw someone moving towards the elevator. About to lead his friend to his room, he didn't bother when he saw it was Stephen. "She stopped going home on her days off so she could be with you. She stopped having matches because you didn't want her prancing around in skimpy outfits like the other Divas. And she doesn't even know you asked Vince not to give her matches, does she?" Cody shook his head. "You're such a piece of shit. She gave up all that just to make you happy. And what do you do? You – You left those bruises on her shoulders."

Stephen hesitated near the elevators, appearing oblivious to their conversation, but Cody noticed he kept glancing back at them anxiously.

"What d'you know?" Randy asked, pushing himself upright. He wavered on his feet but maintained his balance. "She does what she wants. I didn't make her give up shit for me. She's happy the way things are."

"Is she?" Cody challenged, spreading his arms wide to indicate their surroundings. "Then why isn't she with you?"

He knew it was the wrong thing to say before the words even left his mouth. But he never expected the drunken man to swing his fist with such accuracy. Caught beneath the chin, he stumbled back just as the elevator doors opened and crashed into Stephen. He cursed as they fell to the floor but quickly crawled to his feet.

"Fuck you," Randy seethed, shaking out his fingers.

"No, fuck you," Cody countered, clutching his throbbing chin. He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek and tasted blood. "That fucking hurt."

"Yeh need help getting him to his room?" Stephen asked, placing a hand on Cody's arms just when he was about to lunge for retaliation.

Cody took a deep breath and watched as Randy leaned against the wall again. He waited for more ramblings but none came. Torn, he stared as his friend slid down until he sat on the floor, head bowed.

"Yeah," he decided with a small nod.

* * *

><p>Vanessa tried in vain to focus on the screen of her Kindle. The book had come highly recommended by several friends, but failed to hold her interest. Tossing it to the other side of the bed, she felt an ache at the sight of the empty nightstand.<p>

Strange, she mused as she slid out of bed and crossed to look out the window. Only six months together and she was lost without him. After her indignation and frustration had worn off, she'd had no idea what to do. She had thought of calling Cody, but he had texted that he was going out with Randy after the show. When she had read the casual question – _why aren't you coming? _- she had turned off her phone. She had eaten a quick dinner at the arena and performed her duties as Randy's valet. She'd ducked out after his quick match with Stephen, retreating to the hotel.

She wondered if he would notice, or even care, when he got back to their shared room and realized she was no longer there.

Sighing harshly, she rummaged in her purse for her phone, staring down at the blank screen for a long moment. Shoving it into her pocket, she grabbed her room key and cigarettes from the foot of the bed. When she got to the roof she would turn on her phone and see if Randy had tried to contact her.

But when she had reached the door at the top of the stairs she saw it was propped open with a small board. She pushed it open gently, peering around the roof as best she could. Seeing a familiar figure at the far edge, she swung the door open fully and stepped out into the cool night air. It would be him. She couldn't help but feel as if he were the root of all her problems, despite the analytical part of her brain screaming Randy's name whenever she asked herself what had gone wrong.

Wade turned, face cast in shadow, and raised a hand in greeting.

She returned the wave, not sure whether or not to approach him. Deciding that if he wanted to talk to her he would make the approach, she moved to the edge overlooking the pool. She sat down, not minding the rough texture of the roof, fishing out a cigarette. After lighting it and drawing in the first lungful, she began to relax. When he moved to stand next to her she didn't look up, instead looking at but not seeing the darkened pool area.

He was quiet, not speaking as he sat next to her. The silence between them, punctuated by the light traffic on the nearby streets and the occasional blare of a car's horn, was almost comfortable.

Except for the fact she knew he could tell something was wrong. She flicked ashes over the edge, wondering how the many people she had seen since walking out on Randy earlier in the day hadn't asked what was bothering her. But the man at her side, who she barely knew, had picked up on the fact almost instantly.

Her cigarette was long gone and she was lying on her back, staring up at the sky when the silence was broken.

"If you ever need to talk, love, I'm here."

She took a deep breath and felt her phone pressing into her backside. It was still turned off. Finally looking at the man who had lay next to her, she nodded. What could she tell him? _Oh, have I mentioned that Randy's insanely jealous about the time I spend with you,_ was hardly a good way to start a conversation. She was still in the dark on the reason behind their off-camera hatred for each other. For all she knew, he would take Randy's jealousy and use it against him in the ring.

His eyes met hers and she instinctively knew he wouldn't.

"It's just been a bad day all around," she said after a moment. Her brow furrowed; that wasn't right. "Actually, it wasn't. It was a very good day until this afternoon. Then something happened that wiped out all the goodness. If that makes sense?"

"Understandable to me, love."

"Why do you call me that?" she asked, needing to shift the conversation to a different topic.

"Does it offend you?" he returned. She shook her head and he smiled. "Then don't ask why."

"But I'm not your love," she argued with what passed for a laugh. "I'm nothing to you."

He looked at her, expression unreadable. His hand brushed hers, lingering long enough for her to feel the warmth of his skin, then he looked away. "Don't sell yourself short, Vanessa."

She belatedly drew her hand away, resting it over her stomach. Closing her eyes, she cursed the shiver that rippled her spine yet again and forced herself to think of Randy. Surely he had no idea she was sitting on the hotel roof with the man he loathed. Picturing him in her mind, she waited for the guilt. And was left floundering when it didn't come.

_What's there to be guilty about? It's not like you're having sex with the man_, she chastised herself. Immediately, she pictured him over her, hair askew, sweating, and started. An unconscious whine caught in her throat was as loud as a jackhammer to her ears and she felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"Dare I ask what runs through your mind, Vanessa?" he asked softly.

"You don't want to know," she whispered. Clearing her throat, she sat up, hand plunging into her pocket to retrieve her phone. Powering it up and balancing it on one knee, she felt it begin to vibrate with waiting messages almost instantly. She scrolled through them. With each rambling, nearly incoherent, message from her boyfriend, she felt a pang in her heart.

"Going back to him, are you?" Wade inquired when she scrambled to her feet. She whirled to face him, eyebrows raised in confusion. "I'm not a fool, love. You would crawl on your hands and knees behind him if it made him happy."

"How dare you," she whispered. "You don't know anything about my relationship with him–"

"I see enough." He got to his feet and she had to take a step back to see more than the breadth of his chest.

"Enough? Enough?" she spat. "What he and I have is far more than what's on the surface. And considering that you're never around us, I highly doubt you're a very good judge of our relationship."

"If he meant half as much to you as you want him to, you wouldn't be up here," he informed. His voice remained cool, calm, his British accent as soothing as a gentle breeze on a summer's day.

"I'm trying to leave, but you-" she stopped abruptly when he stepped toward her. Finding herself staring at his chest again, she raised her head to scowl at him. "You keep detaining me."

"No one is twisting your arm, love." He raised a hand, tips of his fingers brushing her cheek. "I'm not holding you at all, much as I'd like to."

Vanessa refused to focus on the latter part of his statement. Bad enough she shivered at his light touch.

"Goodnight, Mr. Barrett."

"Goodnight, Miss Tyler." His thumb swept over her bottom lip before she could back away and she froze. Lips parting in surprise, she felt her face soften when their gazes met.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she added lamely.

"I look forward to it."

When had he moved so close? And why were her feet not moving as they should be? Why was she leaning up to him? And why...

His lips descended over hers in a brief, tender kiss that caused her mind to cease functioning. It was over as soon as it began and when they broke he released a soft sigh. "If you're going to crawl back to him, love, leave now."

She blinked, struggling to calm the conflicting emotions that swirled within her. Trembling within, she gave a shaky nod and fled.

* * *

><p>Randy kept his eyes closed as he tried to figure out why he was hearing two different oceans roaring in his ears. He knew he was nowhere near the beach. With achingly slow movements he reached to the other side of the bed and, finding it empty, determined the first ocean must be Vanessa in the shower. Which meant the other roaring must be coming from his own skull. He groaned, but even that slight noise was too intense for him. He cracked open his eyes then quickly shut them again. Why was it so ungodly bright in their room? He pulled a pillow over his head to block out the light and took a peek at the clock on the nightstand. There was a glass of water and two pills by the clock and he began smacking his cotton-filled mouth. He ached for the water, but it was too far away.<p>

One ocean stopped roaring and after a moment the bathroom door opened. Randy lifted the pillow just enough to see Vanessa in the doorway, body and head wrapped in a towel, and smiled weakly.

"Morning," she said softly.

The smile evaporated. "Babe...please," he managed, "not so loud." He let the pillow fall back into place. He felt the mattress shift when she sat on the edge of the bed. The scraping of the glass across the nightstand sounded like nails down a chalkboard and he shuddered.

"You need to take some aspirin," she whispered.

One hand flopped over and when he felt the pills in his palm he sat up. The sudden movement caused him to growl in pain as he shoved the pills into his mouth. Swallowing them dry, he held out his hand for the glass. He tipped it back, draining it in one gulp, then flopped back with a tortured groan. A gentle hand patted his chest, the mattress shifted. He opened one eye again to see her retreating back to the bathroom.

_What did I do?_ Randy wondered. There was no good morning kiss, no sweet embrace. _I'm never drinking again_, he decided. He pulled the pillow off his head and blinked rapidly to grow accustomed to the light. As he sat up his right hand throbbed, and the vaguest of memories flashed in his mind. He'd punched somebody. Who had he lashed out at? And why? He raised his hand to look at it, saw bruising around the knuckles. His eyes caught bright blue fabric and he realized he was still dressed. Wriggling his toes, he was happy to learn he hadn't passed out while wearing his shoes.

He slowly swung his feet to the floor, glaring at the open curtains. From the bathroom came the sound of Vanessa's hair dryer, but none of the usual humming or whistling. He furrowed his brow and tried to recall more events of the previous night. Only bits and pieces popped in his mind like a movie trailer. Had he said or done something so heinous that she no longer wanted anything to do with him?

Then, as he stood, the memories flooded and he fell back onto the bed. She'd left him. Except for walking him to the ring during the show, she hadn't been with him at all after their fight in the dressing room. He remembered cornering Cody about going out to drink, and then...

And then he'd gotten so drunk he couldn't remember the rest. He brought his hands up to his face, grimacing when his hand throbbed again. Rubbing his face vigorously as though it would fill in the gaps of his memory, he rolled off the bed, looking around.

Her bags were packed and neatly stacked next to the door. Except for the clothes laid out on the dresser and the toiletries case next to them, she was ready to go. He frowned upon seeing that his stuff wasn't packed.

She'd come back. But she was still upset.

He was sitting at the foot of the bed when she came out of the bathroom. Hair shining in the morning light and face free of makeup, she took his breath away. His heart plummeted to his feet when she walked right past him and gathered her clothes.

"What happened last night?" he asked, catching her by the arm on her return trip to the bathroom. The fact she didn't even want to get dressed in front of him stung.

"Nothing." She pulled free of his grasp. "When I got here you were already out."

He wriggled his fingers. "Did I... Did I do anything?"

"No."

"Babe... What's wrong?" he asked.

"I told you yesterday what's wrong."

He groaned. "I don't want to get into that."

"You made that clear yesterday." She refused to look at him. "I need to get dressed. Cody said he's leaving at eight thirty."

"Cody?"

"I'm riding to Minneapolis with him."

"Why?" Great. He was reduced to one-word questions.

"I just think it's best right now."

He could only stare in disbelief as she disappeared into the bathroom, the door snapping shut behind her.

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed.  
><strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Certain characters (that shall remain nameless right now because they pissed me off to no end) did not want to cooperate with this chapter. I finally whipped them into shape, though. Thank you so very much for the reviews (Emmettluver2010, xj0j0x, and Menaji, y'all made me smile)!. It's good to know that people are enjoying this. Enjoy!**

Chapter Six

Vanessa stirred when she felt a hand on her arm. She raised her head, hand moving to work on the crick in her neck as she saw the car was pulling into a hotel parking lot. Rousing herself fully, she leaned to retrieve her purse from the floor. "I can't believe I slept the whole way."

Cody shrugged as he parked beneath the awning. "No big deal. I take it you didn't get much sleep last night."

She sighed, knowing he was fishing for details. "Not really." She opened the door and shivered at the sudden blast of cool air. Climbing out, she stretched before moving to help unload their luggage. "Did you drive straight through?"

"I stopped a couple times for a bathroom break. I tried waking you up, but..."

She patted his arm before grabbing the handle of a rolling suitcase. No doubt he thought she'd sat up all night worrying over Randy, when in truth she'd sat staring at the unconscious figure of the man she loved while thinking of another man's lips. _I'm out of high school, this shit is supposed to be over with now_, she thought, following her friend into the lobby. They were checked in and in the elevator before he spoke again.

"Look, last night..." He sighed, eyes closing briefly as he gingerly touched his chin. "I wanted to talk to you."

"I wasn't in a mood to talk last night, Codes." Vanessa leaned against the wall, pulling her suitcase closer when a middle-aged couple stepped onto the elevator at the last minute.

"Are you in a mood to talk now?" he asked.

She took a deep breath, eyes on the back of the woman standing in front of her. The soft ding of the elevator as the doors closed seemed to echo in the small space, bringing her back to the lonely ride she'd taken the night before. "I guess."

The couple got off on the second floor and Cody turned to face her as the elevator began its ascent. She looked at him curiously, finding it odd that he seemed to be at a loss for words. The car stopped with a gentle lurch and he raked a hand through his hair while the doors slid open. "My room or yours?"

"Mine I guess. See you in a few?" When he nodded, she stepped off, dragging her suitcase behind her. "I'll order up some food," she called to him when he headed in the opposite direction.

After dumping her things on the floor just inside the room, she made a quick call to room service. She darted to the bathroom for relief and stepped out as a soft knock sounded on the door. "It's open," she called, flopping across the bed. Despite sleeping for the entire five hour car ride, she was exhausted. The thought of having a talk with Cody about the night before caused her stomach to clench with worry. She grunted as he flopped down next to her. "Food should be here in about thirty minutes."

"'Kay."

Silence stretched between them and she found herself growing impatient. Cody never held back. He never failed to say what needed to be said. It was just one of his traits that she adored. "Alright, out with it," she sighed, rolling onto her back. Dragging the pillows from the head of the bed, she tucked one beneath her head and handed the other to him.

"You remember those bruises from a couple weeks ago?" he asked after a long moment. "On your shoulders."

Vanessa pressed her lips together as her breath caught in her throat. "Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?"

She looked at him, blinking in surprise at the hurt in his voice. The dark bruise on his chin brought back the memory of long fingers digging into her skin until she cried out. "How did you-"

"He told me," Cody murmured. Sitting up, he kicked off his shoes and folded his long legs Indian-style so he faced her.

Her breath caught again and she surged upwards. "What do you mean, he told you?"

"He said you were scared of him. Then he said that he'd hurt you. That he never meant to and couldn't help it. That you always told him it was okay." Cody caught her hand between his, blue eyes imploring. "Tell me the truth, Nessa. Was he just running off at the mouth 'cause he was drunk? Or was it true? If he's hurt you, I'll-"

"He was just running off at the mouth," she interrupted, pulling her hand free and crawling from the bed before he could see the lie in her eyes. "He always does that, Codes."

"Then why did you split last night at the arena? Why didn't you ride out here with him this morning?" He'd obviously gotten over his anxiety about the conversation.

"Codes, please..." She drew in a deep breath, crossing to the window for lack of anything else to do. Pulling back the curtain, she looked out at the late afternoon sunshine. Hearing his muttered curse, she glanced over in time to see him slide off the bed. Within seconds he was behind her, hands resting lightly on her shoulders, chin resting atop her head.

"What's going on?" he whispered. "And why can't you trust me enough to talk to me about it?

She closed her eyes, willing away the tears that had started to burn. "You really think I want to admit that I'm failing at this relationship?"

"Nessa," he sighed, kissing the top of her head. "Just tell me what's going on so I can help you fix it."

"You can't fix this," she whispered.

"You don't have to go through this alone. I'm here for you."

She nodded, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from falling. Feeling his arms around her in a gentle hug, she leaned against him, grateful more than ever before for his friendship. Most of the men she had met in the company – even the married ones – had viewed her as another possible notch in their bedpost. From the start, though, Cody had been one of the few she could relax around. "How come you never asked me out?" she murmured.

He chuckled, dropping another kiss to the top of her head. "I wanted to. But then we became such good friends and... I didn't want to screw that up." He gave her a squeeze. "Besides, there were already so many guys drooling over you – stop making a face."

She rolled her eyes; he knew her so well. "We wouldn't be compatible that way, anyway. You're such a neat freak, you'd drive me crazy."

"I am not a neat freak," he defended and she could feel the scowl on his face.

"Please," she snorted. "You're borderline anal, Mr. I Sort My Socks by Color."

"There's nothing wrong with a little organization. At least I don't just cram everything into my suitcase and hope for the best."

"My chaos is carefully organized," she informed, turning in his arms to press a kiss to his cheek. "You're just jealous because I can always find whatever I need."

"In that wreck?" he muttered, jerking a thumb towards her bags near the door. "No way."

"Try me."

Cody looked at her thoughtfully before starting to grin. "Nail clippers."

"In my little zip case inside my purse."

"Prove it."

Laughing, she slipped from his arms and crossed the room. Her troubles were still looming over her like a storm cloud. She could feel them threatening to overwhelm her at any moment. But she would worry about them later. For now, she just wanted to forget everything. Or at least push them away enough so she could pretend.

As she pulled the small case from her purse and opened it to pluck out her fingernail clippers, she wondered how long she had been pretending.

* * *

><p>"I want to talk to you."<p>

Randy watched Vanessa turn from rummaging inside her bag. Longing to take her in his arms, he wet his lips as her fingers flicked a lock of hair over her shoulder. Except when she appeared to walk to the ring at his side during house shows, he hadn't seen her by herself in three days. When he'd asked to run through their lines for the taping, she'd agreed, only to show up with AJ at her side. He ached to touch her, to hold her, to talk to her until she understood.

"What is it?" she asked, leaning casually against the edge of the table. His eyes swept up and down her figure, taking in the faded jeans that must have been designed with her figure in mind. A studded belt glittered in the light, and the cropped Apex Predator t-shirt gave a glimpse of skin.

She could have been wearing grease-stained sweats and a ratty t-shirt and he would have thought she was gorgeous. "You're spending too much time with Wade Barrett."

She pushed away from the table, hands sliding to her hips. Even though he could have thrown her over his shoulder without straining himself, she had perfected the formidable stance. "Randy, babe, come on. He's been looking at me for a while. And with your upcoming match..." One hand raised to touch the title belt draped over his shoulder. "I thought a little distraction would be a good thing."

"Distraction?" he repeated. "What are you pulling, Vanessa?"

"If I get him to focus on me instead of on you, he won't have his head in the game. There's no way he'll be able to defeat you if I work on him."

"So you're just playing him." He thought back to the taping the week before, when he'd had to watch on a monitor while she congratulated Wade on winning his match. The bitter taste of jealousy in his mouth had been all too real.

"Of course. Don't you trust me?"

His stomach twisted. He really did. He just didn't trust Barrett. "Absolutely."

"You leave Barrett to me," she suggested, crooking her finger so he would lean closer. Lips brushing his, she met his eyes with a smile. "I'll take care of him."

He caught her by the waist when she would have pulled away. Her hands slipped to his chest and he held onto her as the crew left the room. The door clicked shut and he leaned to catch her lips with his. "I miss you," he whispered between kisses. "God, babe, I miss you so much."

"Randy," she pleaded, pushing against his chest.

Reluctantly, he drew back, but refused to let go of her. "What do I need to do, babe? I'll do anything. Just, please, don't let me lose you."

"You haven't lost me," she whispered. Hands still on his chest, she looked into his eyes. "I don't want... I just..." She exhaled sharply. "We need to work things out, if we can. This..." She gestured to the way he clutched her waist. "This isn't working things out. This is focusing on our physical relationship."

Drawing in a deep breath to calm his frazzling nerves, he lightly kissed her lips before releasing her. "So, what are we going to do? Are we going all the way back to the beginning?"

"I don't know." Her hands dragged through her hair as she sank onto the nearby chair.

Randy groaned, slipping the belt from his shoulder and tossing it to the table. "I just want things back the way they were." Seeing the look on her face, he knew he'd said the wrong thing and hastily backtracked. "I want things the way they should be. With you by my side, holding my hand, or in my bed, stealing the covers."

Her lips flickered with a smile and he felt a brief rush of relief. "You're the cover-hog, Randy," she murmured.

"My bed's cold without you," he whispered, fervently hoping that the right words would appear in his mind. The magic words that would have her back where she belonged. "I'm cold without you." Stepping forward, he knelt in front of her. He searched her eyes, looking for the slightest hint of her swaying. "This is killing me, babe."

"It's killing me too," she whispered.

He saw the tears in her eyes and felt his heart break, knowing they were there because of him. "How would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow night?"

"Dinner?" she repeated.

"Just you and me and a nice restaurant where we can talk." A far cry from his usual choice, he knew. But she loved that sort of thing. And if it meant getting her back into his arms, he would sit through a year's worth of fancy dinners in boring restaurants. "My match at the show tomorrow night is the opener, so we can go after that."

"Just dinner?" she questioned, obviously needing the clarification.

"Just dinner. Maybe a walk back to the hotel if it's warm enough and not too far," he suggested.

"Dinner and a walk," she murmured, lips pulling into a smile. "I'd like that."

"I'll arrange for a car to take you back to the hotel after my match so you can change, then pick you up at your room." He wanted to jump up and give a victory shout, but refrained. It was obviously going to take baby steps to get her to trust him again.

"It's a date."

He smiled, leaning in for a kiss. She turned her head so his lips brushed her cheek instead, but he didn't mind. He would win her back. He was certain.

* * *

><p>Vanessa fastened the earring in her lobe and stepped back to check her appearance in the mirror over the dresser. Giving herself a nod, she smoothed the skirt of the little black dress, stepping into her black pumps. Randy would be there any minute to take her to dinner. She felt harried and unready. And she felt stupid for being so anxious about a date with the man she loved.<p>

They'd been together nearly six months, why was she having jitters?

She was shaking out her jacket when her cell phone rang. Recognizing the tune as the one she had set for her mother, she dropped the jacket onto the already messy floor and retrieved her phone. "Hi, Mama," she greeted.

"Hey, sweetie. You're not busy are you?"

"No. Just getting ready to go out to dinner. What's up?" Vanessa tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder, stooping to retrieve the jacket.

"I just wanted to make sure you're coming home next week. We're thinking of doing a dinner for Freddie's birthday and if you're coming, we'll do it while you're here instead of the weekend."

Vanessa mouthed a curse. She'd forgotten about her uncle's birthday. Making a mental note to find something online to have delivered to him, she laid the jacket out on the bed and flicked away a piece of lint that was stuck to the sleeve. "I guess."

"You haven't come home in over two months," her mother sighed.

_Please, not a maternal guilt trip_, she thought with a sigh. "I've been busy, Mama."

"You were never too busy for us until you started dating that boy. Doesn't he want you to see your family?"

Vanessa had to smile at her mother referring to Randy as a boy. To Judith Tyler, any male under the age of forty was a boy. "Of course he does," she promised. "It's just been crazy lately. When I have a couple days off I'm always on the other side of the country. It seems like a waste of time to fly home to visit for just a day before having to fly out again."

"I didn't think your family would be a waste of time."

_Dammit_. "Mama, I can't get into this right now. I promise, I'm coming home next week. I've already booked my flight. I'm flying in on Wednesday night. Scout's honor."

Her mother snorted. "That would mean something if you'd actually been in the Scouts. Alright, I'll let you go. Email me your flight number so I can have your dad pick you up. And have a good dinner. And-"

"And call you later, and you love me," Vanessa finished with a smile. Hearing her phone beep with call waiting, she pulled it away and saw Randy's name on the screen. "I've gotta go, Mama. Love you." Switching calls, she eyed the jacket on the bed. "Hey."

"Hey, babe."

She heard chanting and applause in the background. Worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, she looked at the jacket she knew she wouldn't be wearing. "You're not coming."

"I'm so sorry. But they want me to-"

"Whatever," she broke in.

"I don't have a choice, you know that." The applause grew in volume as the bell rang.

"Yeah." Her voice was flat, for which she was grateful. She didn't want the torrent of emotions running through her to leak out. Once that started, she would never be able to finish. "How early can you leave?"

"I have to stay till the end. I'm really sorry, babe."

She heard a low voice muttering in the background. Randy's answering chuckle was like a knife in her heart. "Yeah, I can tell you're all tore up about it."

"Babe, c'mon... I'll call you when I'm about to leave and we can go out with everybody."

"I'm not in the mood for hanging out tonight. Tell John I'll see him soon." She swept a hand through her hair, loosening it from the twist she had worked hard to accomplish. More muttering, another chuckle, and she felt her fingers tighten around the phone. "Have fun."

Without waiting for a reply, she ended the call and sent the phone across the room. It landed on the thick cushion of the chair in the corner, giving her no satisfaction, and she growled in frustration. "Fucking typical," she muttered under her breath. How many times had they planned something together only for it to be canceled at the last minute? Too many for her to count.

She snatched up the jacket and slid it on before reaching to fix the simple twist in her hair. Several strands refused to be tamed again, so she let them alone, shoving her room key and wallet into a small purse. The restaurant Randy had made reservations at was written on the notepad by the phone on the desk and she tore off the top page. Dinner alone sounded like the most pathetic thing in the world, but she did not want to sit in her hotel room waiting around for nothing.

In the lobby, she asked the desk clerk to call a cab for her. Pacing the large space as she waited, she saw several couples exiting the elevator, obviously going out for a night of fun. _Movie_, she thought as a couple dressed casually sauntered towards the exit. _Theater_, she decided, following the regal stride of a silver-haired couple. _Dinner. Dancing. Bar crawling. _Everybody had a date for the night. Except her. Sucking in a breath as the hurt flooded her chest again, she looked to the door and saw Wade Barrett entering the lobby.

She watched him cross to the elevator, bag slung over his shoulder. His hair was damp, his street clothes clean, and she knew he must have showered at the venue. He stepped back when the elevator arrived, gaze flickering over the people exiting.

Then, suddenly, his eyes were on her.

Even across a room she was transfixed by his eyes.

He looked from her to the elevator and back again. She could almost feel his internal struggle as he shifted the bag on his shoulder. His shoulders straightened, his eyes met hers, and she felt her heartbeat accelerate as he walked towards her.

"Vanessa," he greeted with a quick smile. The quick sweep of his eyes over her figure was discreet, tasteful, and she barely noticed. "You look lovely."

"Thank you," she murmured. "I'm... How was your match with Stephen?"

"It was good. I take it you're leaving?"

"When my cab gets here," she answered, pulling her lower lip between her teeth. She looked into his eyes for several seconds before dropping them to his lips. Recalling the brief, chaste kiss he'd given her on the roof several nights before, she took a deep breath and met his eyes again. And she made a rash decision that she had an inkling she would regret later. "Would you like to go to dinner with me?"

His gaze softened, his eyes changing from steely blue to a soft green. "Yes. But..." She frowned, but his smile reassured her a little. "I'm old-fashioned, love."

"Old-fashioned? How do you mean?"

"I like to do the asking. I also like holding doors open, pulling out chairs, and paying. If you're alright with that?"

She struggled to recall the last time someone had pulled out a chair for her. It had been so long she couldn't remember whether she liked it or not. "That's an agreeable arrangement," she decided.

"Good. Would you like to go to dinner, Vanessa?"

She couldn't hold back the soft laugh. "I'd love to."

"I have to go up and change. I'll be down in fifteen minutes." His smile was genuine and warm.

"I'll be here." She watched him cross to the elevators again. He pressed the button, had to wait only a few seconds, then stepped on. Just before disappearing from her view, though, he turned back to look at her.

Then he was gone.

As she went to ask the clerk to make sure the cab waited for her, she felt a sudden lightness in her step that had been missing for a long time.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Wade followed Vanessa through the restaurant as they were led to their table. The décor was well-lit but still had an intimate feel. Bright yellow walls brought cheer to the space, the long expanses broken with framed black and white photography. Plenty of room for people to walk between the tables, live plants tucked in nooks and crannies, and the music playing was soft, not too loud to drown out conversations.

He was aware of the looks she received. He doubted she noticed, or that if she did, she even cared. But he saw each pair of eyes that followed her, saw each head that swiveled ever so slightly to catch a second look. He couldn't blame them.

The table was tucked in the corner, next to a picture window that overlooked the city and a potted plant that seemed to have grown up the wall. When they reached it, he saw her glance at the seat in front of the window and stepped forward to hold it out for her. Her smile brought out one of his own. She sat with a murmured thank-you, the warm smile turning to the _maître d' _as a menu was placed before her.

"Will you be needing the wine list, sir?"

Wade took his seat and glanced to Vanessa. Seeing the slight shake of her head, he looked to the man standing next to the table. "No, thank you."

"You can have wine if you like," she said as the man walked away.

"I don't really care for it."

"Neither do I."

He looked up from his menu, saw her smile. "What do you like to drink?"

"A good beer, when I'm in the mood to drink. I've never caught onto the trend of sipping those fruity mixed drinks with little umbrellas. Whiskey, vodka, tequila and the like just make my stomach hurt. I'm much happier with a frozen mug or a cold bottle in my hand."

"You don't drink often?"

She shook her head, a lock of hair dancing against her cheek. "No. I'm a lightweight. A few beers and I'm giggling. A few more beers and I'm that obnoxious friend from school that always laughed too loud at everything. And I have a tendency to not remember a thing the next day."

"I can't picture you being obnoxious."

"Trust me, it happens." She ducked her head to look at the menu.

He did the same, looking at but not really seeing the choices. When the waiter appeared, asking what they would like to drink, he echoed her request for water. Then they were alone again. He raised his head to ask if she had a recommendation, and met the warm turquoise eyes that haunted him.

He hated the scared look in those eyes. Even when she smiled, or laughed, she had the look of a frightened animal. He had never noticed it before, not until he had started to really notice her. For so long she had just been there, a presence that he was conscious of but not really aware.

Until they had cut their first promo together. When she had walked out of the dressing room, dressed so different from her norm, he had done a double-take. Others backstage had scorned her choice of wardrobe, but he had enjoyed it immensely. The other women on the roster always dressed like strippers, and even before her switch to more demure clothing, Vanessa had been different. In a good way. He found himself looking forward to seeing how she would dress for a taping. Actually, he found himself looking forward to her.

"Stu?"

Hell, he had started daydreaming. "Sorry, love," he apologized with a quick smile. "I was thinking about something."

"My father used to tell me that I spent more time woolgathering than anything else."

"Woolgathering? Does anyone truly use that term anymore?" he asked, chuckling as he felt himself relax.

"They do if their father is an English professor."

"Ah, that explains it," he murmured, sitting back as the waiter brought their drinks.

"Explains what?"

"You've always – we'll need another moment, please," he told the waiter before their conversation could be interrupted. Turning his attention back to Vanessa, he leaned forward. "You're one of the few people in the company that doesn't annihilate the English language with each sentence."

"I suppose good grammar was ingrained in me at a young age. I slip up occasionally, especially if I'm on camera talking to someone, though."

Wade smiled. "It's refreshing. Back in England they always talk about Americans murdering the Queen's English. When I first came to America, I was sad to learn how true it was."

"We're not all so bad," she assured.

"True. But it is nice to hear someone speak and not feel as though you've landed in a rap video."

Her laugh was soft, musical, and lifted his spirits more than she would ever know. He watched the hair dance against her cheek again. "My father would kill me if I talked like that. He despises dropped letters, shortened words, even slang. My mother couldn't care less."

"You're close to your parents?" he asked.

"Very. I don't get to see them much, but I talk to them as much as I can. How about you?"

He watched a hand raise, withholding a regretful sigh as the lock of hair was tucked behind her ear. "I'm close to my family. I talk to them when I can, of course, but it's rare that I get to see them unless we're in Europe. I can usually talk my mum into coming along for a few days then."

"Do you have a house in England?"

"Not yet. I rarely get there, so it seems a waste at this point. I have a home in Tampa."

Vanessa looked away and he sighed as the waiter reappeared. He looked down at the menu as she ordered, not raising an eyebrow at the amount of food she rattled off. When it was his turn, he put in his order and held out the menu.

"I probably ordered too much. This is a treat for me, though, since I usually live on room service and fast food." She settled back in her chair, resting her hands in her lap. "And I haven't really eaten much lately."

"Why not?"

"I haven't had much of an appetite." She gave a light shrug, drawing his gaze to the heart-shaped pendant that rested at the base of her throat.

"I'm going to ask something, love. If it's none of my business you can tell me so, but I'm curious." When she raised her eyebrows in question, he smoothed the napkin over his thigh. "The reservation. It was for two, and it wasn't under your name. Why aren't you with him tonight?"

She took a moment before answering, eyes everywhere but on him. Finally, she met his gaze. "Because he canceled on me at the last minute. And I mean the very last minute. I decided that I would rather go out and stare at the four walls of my hotel room, and here I am."

"And me? Am I just a convenient replacement?"

"Please don't make that comparison. The two of you are not interchangeable. When you came up to me in the lobby, I..." She paused, chest rising before she exhaled harshly. "I wanted to be with you."

Surprised, he could only stare at her. The knowledge that she wanted to be with him should have made him feel better. Instead, he could only wonder if she would be thinking of him had her original plans not fallen through. "Why me?" he questioned after a few moments.

"Why you? Because, swaggering, egotistical man that you are, I like you. I like the way I feel with you." Another deep breath, this time accompanied by a rosy glow on her cheeks. "I like that I can be myself with you," she whispered. "I like that I don't have to worry about you losing your temper, or upsetting you with something I say. I like that you talk to me like a human being. I... I just like you, alright?"

For the first time in his life, he was speechless.

After several minutes had passed, she raised her hands to cover her flushed cheeks. "My God, I'm so sorry. I've been a nervous wreck for the past week. Randy and I had a fight and except for shows, I haven't seen him. We were supposed to talk tonight, but as usual he dropped our plans at the last minute. I'm so confused right now. I was so sure that he was the one and now I don't know that we have any sort of future together. And on top of all that, there's you."

"Me?" he blurted.

"Yes, you." Her hands fell to her lap. "Ever since I joined the company you've always come across as being too good for everyone. At times I was sure you were the same bastard you are in the ring. Now, just when my life seems to be falling apart, you're suddenly there. And I'm realizing that you're not even remotely the bastard I thought you to be. You're..." She paused for a breath, blinking rapidly. "You're a nice guy. Even though I know so little about you, I'm more comfortable with you than I have been in a long time. How sad is that? I'm more comfortable with you, a veritable stranger, than I am with my boyfriend."

"Vanessa," he murmured, struggling to find words that would comfort her. "I don't know what to say."

"Why is it I don't mind telling you these things?" she wondered softly. "Cody is one of my best friends, and I haven't told him half of what I just said to you. How is it you can come into my life and it's like I've known you forever?"

"You feel that way too?" he asked.

"Yes," she whispered, raising her napkin to dab at her eyes. "That night on the roof..."

He pursed his lips. That night had been in his mind constantly. "What about it?"

"Why did you..."

"Kiss you?" he finished when she waved a hand. At her quick nod, he looked down at his glass of water. "Because I wanted to. Because I thought that-"

"Your salads," the waiter announced suddenly.

Wade bit back a blistering curse at the interruption. Leaning back, he watched Vanessa dab at her eyes again. The waiter glanced between them apprehensively before excusing himself. He looked at the salad he suddenly had no desire to eat and lifted his fork to poke at a tomato.

"I liked it."

The simple statement, made at barely a whisper, pulled his gaze to her again. She was staring down at her plate, poking at the lettuce with her fork, obviously as unenthusiastic as he was about eating. He looked at her for a long moment, wishing he could see into her eyes. Her head lifted, their eyes met, and he knew he was a goner. "I did, too," he said. "I'm not going to say I'm sorry for it, love."

"I don't want you to." She took a bite of her salad, eyes never leaving his. After a sip of water, she cleared her throat. "Now what?"

"That's a very good question, love." He took a sip of water to wash away the sudden bitter taste in his mouth. "I think the answer is up to you, though."

"How do you mean?"

"Let's review the facts. You're still in love with Orton. You're in the middle of trying to work out that relationship. But, you're here with me. You just said you like being with me. I believe, love, that the question you should be asking is, 'what do I want?'" He pushed the salad around on the plate. "What do you want, Vanessa?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"Just know that I'll be here when you figure it out, love."

She smiled, one of relief. "Tell me about England."

Finally, he could stomach the idea of eating.

Their main courses were finished, dessert on its way, when she looked uncomfortable again. Over the course of their dinner he had picked up on the smallest of cues. If she was relaxed, she smiled more, and her laugh was easy. If she was haunted by thoughts he couldn't read, her eyes would grow distant and her lips formed a thin line. Now, she was shifting in her seat, knee bumping against the table.

"What's wrong, love?" he asked as a slice of cheesecake was placed before her. He barely glanced at his own dessert.

"I want to know something. It's probably a touchy subject for you, but you're my only hope of finding out the truth."

"Alright."

"What happened between you and Randy?"

Bloody hell, she was blunt. The look in her eyes told him not to play around, to give her an honest answer. "You mean, why does he hate me?"

"Yes. I've asked him, but he never wants to talk about it."

"It's not a very pleasant subject, Vanessa. But I'll tell you."

Across the room a phone chirped and she glanced in that direction before looking to him. "Would you mind telling me on the way back to the hotel?"

"Not at all." He motioned for the waiter. Seeing her reach for her purse, he reached to catch her hand with his. "I've got it, Vanessa. Old-fashioned, remember?"

They were on the street, Vanessa carrying the small bag with their untouched desserts, when he decided it was time to speak again. "Are you sure you want to know why he hates me?"

"Yes, I'm sure. It can't be any worse than not knowing at all."

"But you may come to hate me as well," he warned. Looking around, he turned in the direction of the hotel. "Are you alright walking?"

Halfway down the block, she lightly touched his shoulder. She didn't speak. She didn't have to.

He took a deep breath, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "You've heard about Debbie, haven't you?" He glanced to her, saw the look of confusion she sent him. "She was dating Orton when I joined Smackdown. She wasn't in the company, but joined him on the road a lot. They'd been dating almost a year when I met them."

She remained silent. He glanced over again, saw her looking straight ahead as they continued their slow walk. He wondered if Orton had ever mentioned Debbie to her. The way her teeth chewed at her lower lip told him it was highly unlikely.

"She was..." He paused, carefully going over the facts in his mind. "She was an attractive woman. Whenever she entered a room all eyes were on her. She had a career of her own – I suppose she still does – and didn't go with him from city to city. So it was a big deal when she joined him for a few days on the road."

Vanessa nodded, stopping when they reached the corner. He pulled his hand from his pocket and lightly cupped her elbow as they crossed. When they reached the other side, she didn't pull away. Neither did he.

"I was still one of the new guys on the roster then, and mainly stuck with the lads, so I was rarely around her. Until..." He paused again when he felt her arm tense. Releasing it, he stuffed his hand into his pocket again. "There was a party after Wrestlemania. It was a rush, we were all on top of the world, you know. I had too much to drink and, though I don't remember it myself, learned that I was a little too friendly with her."

"How do you mean?" Vanessa asked. Ahead of them, a group of loud young men loitered in front of a building. A piercing wolf whistle filled the air, followed by several lewd suggestions. She stepped closer to Wade, hand slipping into the crook of his elbow, and he glared at the rabble. He felt a grim satisfaction when the men stopped their catcalls.

When they had passed and were approaching the next corner, he slowed his steps, knowing they would soon be reaching the hotel. "I wasn't a gentleman towards her, Vanessa. As I said, I don't know what I did, but I have on good authority that I was a complete jackass."

"He hates you for that? You were drunk-"

"He hates me because two weeks later, he walked in on us having sex," he cut in, wincing at the harshness of the words. He felt a pull on his arm and turned to see she had stopped.

"You what?"

There was no turning back now. Her opinion of him was forever tainted, and he had only himself to blame. "She came to my room late one night. I don't remember the excuse she used. They'd had a fight, she'd locked herself out of the room and he wouldn't answer the phone, whatever. She took the spare bed and just when I was falling asleep again she got into my bed."

Vanessa pulled her hand away and wrapped it around her opposite wrist. "I see."

"One thing led to another, and then he burst in." He pulled his hands from his pockets, tugging at the hem of his jacket to keep from reaching for her. He knew that if he did, she would recoil from his touch. "I never meant for it to happen, Vanessa. I've always said I have no regrets, but I do. That night is it."

"You regret the act itself? Or getting caught?"

Bloody hell, she was mad. Her eyes practically blazed with sparks. "I regret letting my body make the decisions. I regret letting her seduce me. But I do not regret being caught. If nothing else, it showed him that she wasn't what he thought she was."

"And of course, because the both of you are overflowing with that asinine male pride, neither of you has ever tried to talk about it," she guessed correctly.

"Do you really believe that he would listen to a word I said about that?" Wade asked. "To him I'm the asshole that wrecked his perfect relationship."

"In a way, you did. Is that your goal now?"

His eyebrows pulled together in confusion. "I don't follow."

"Are you intent on wrecking his relationship with me? Is that why you always have a tendency to show up wherever I am?" She sucked in a breath. "Do you have this twisted thing about messing up every aspect of his life? Are you just laying on the English charm so that he can find me in your bed soon?"

"Christ, Vanessa, I would never do that," he breathed. "The fact that you're with him has nothing to do with the fact that I'm attracted to you. Also, she meant nothing to me."

"And I do?"

"Yes," he whispered, finally giving in to temptation and reaching for her. She blinked, eyes still sparking, as his hand cupped her cheek. But, blessedly, she didn't pull away. "It wouldn't matter who you were dating, engaged or married to, love, I would still be drawn to you."

She exhaled slowly, warm breath fanning over his wrist. "Why me, Stu?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I only know I'm bloody tired of fighting it."

**A/N: Whew, this chapter was hard for me to crank out. Deciding to write from Wade's POV was definitely a challenge! Special thanks to xj0j0x for reviewing. Also, I made a trailer/promo for this story. Link is in my profile. Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Free of any work-related duties, Vanessa began her day off by jogging to a McDonald's several blocks away from the hotel. She bought a local paper and flipped through it as she ate in a corner booth, losing herself in details of things she doubted she would ever hear about again. The comics page did little to cheer her, but she chuckled as always over _Garfield _and _Baby Blues_. She lost track of time as she filled in the crossword puzzle and felt no guilt as she jogged back to the hotel. She was already packed for the trip to the next venue, the clothes she would wear tossed on the bed.

She had four more hours before it would be time to check out. She paced the room, checking every drawer to make sure she was leaving nothing behind. Fighting against each thought about the night before, she went so far as to cleaning out her purse. Weeks' worth of receipts, random business cards, gum wrappers and toothpicks later, she had filled the small trashcan next to the desk. Still filled with a nervous energy, she finally grabbed her iPod and room key. She would burn time in the gym downstairs. She would do anything to avoid facing what she had learned from a certain Englishman.

When she opened the door, however, she lost track of her original idea. Staring out in confusion, she looked from the bouquet of flowers to the bellman that held them, she raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Miss Tyler?"

__Who the hell would send me flowers?__ She nodded, looking down at the flowers as they were pushed into her hands. "There must be some mistake-"

"No mistake, ma'am. They arrived just a few minutes ago. Have a good day."

She didn't bother calling him back for a tip. Nudging the door closed with one hip, she continued to stare at the flowers. Delicate orchids were arranged with deep red roses and yellow tulips, interspersed with baby's breath and tucked into a short vase. She tenderly traced a petal of one orchid before bringing the arrangement up to inhale the aroma. Placing it on the dresser, she stared at the ivory card attached to the vase for a long moment before plucking it away. Her name was scrawled across the envelope in writing she didn't recognize. Sliding out the card, she read it over again and again. Each time the words grew blurrier and blurrier as tears filled her eyes.

__Orchids for your beauty. Red roses for the passionate love we share. Yellow tulips because I'm hopelessly in love with you. Flowers are love's truest language. - R__

* * *

><p>Randy pulled out his phone for the millionth time since arriving at the venue. Scrolling through the alerts, he felt his frown deepen with each one, realizing that Vanessa hadn't sent him a text yet. Sighing, he pulled up a new message. He needed to know that she had gotten the flowers. That she had read the note. That she was on the road to forgiving him. Not wanting to appear desperate, he tapped out a generic message, letting her know that he'd arrived and missed her.<p>

He leaned back against the cold wall after the message was sent, staring up at the ceiling.

She had to forgive him.

* * *

><p>Cody paced back and forth outside the locker room, half-listening to the conversations going on within. He felt ridiculous, waiting around in the hallway for the man to come out. There was nothing stopping him from going in and cornering him, was there? No. He could march in, find him, and demand to know what was going on.<p>

The only problem was that he was a little bit afraid of the Englishman.

So he waited.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Wade Barrett sauntered out.

"H-hi," Cody greeted, pushing away from the wall. He smiled in greeting, only to receive a nod as the man continued on his way. Dammit, Nessa, you better appreciate this, he thought with a sour expression. He started after him, intent on asking just what the man planned on doing with Vanessa. As her self-proclaimed older brother, it lay on him to make sure she was taken care of.

He was about to catch up with Barrett when his phone started going wild with an incoming message. Making a note to corner Barrett later, he turned in the opposite direction, steps slowing until he was standing, frozen, in the middle of the hallway.

"Sonofabitch," he breathed as he looked down at the image Vanessa had sent. He told himself that there was a very good possibility the flowers were from Wade, but the next image he received quelled those thoughts.

Vanessa's accompanying text was short, to the point, and made his heart break.

__From R. What do I do?__

* * *

><p>The elevator dinged loudly, drawing Vanessa from her trance. Shaking her head, she stepped back as the doors slid open, holding onto her overnight bag tightly. Three more days, she told herself as she trudged down the hall. Three days, then she would be going home.<p>

A door down the hall closed and she turned, heart leaping at the sight of her... Could she still call him her boyfriend? She opened her mouth to speak but no words would come, especially when his piercing gaze met hers from so far away. Abandoning her bags, she began walking towards him. The memory of the flowers he'd sent, and the sweet words he'd written on the card still fresh in her mind, she forgot all about the problems between them. When his arms opened she walked into them eagerly, gasping as she was lifted so they were truly face-to-face.

"Thank you," she whispered between kisses. "For the flowers, and the note, and-" Her words were silenced by another kiss. Dizzy from the power of his lips and tongue, she clung to him, legs hooking around his waist. Breaking to draw in a breath, she brushed her lips over his jaw. "I missed you," she admitted.

Randy's arms tightened around her, fingers curling against her back. "More," he murmured. "I missed you more." His lips found hers again, sweeping her back to a place where nothing else mattered. "Don't ever leave me again, babe," he whispered. "I can't do anything without you."

She nodded dumbly, cupping her hands at the back of his neck as he began to walk. "Babe?" she ventured as she was held against the door he had just exited. "My stuff..."

"I'll get it later."

"But—" she cut off when his lips found her earlobe. Head falling back with a loud thud as he began to nibble, she gripped his t-shirt to keep from sliding to the floor. One hand left her to fumble with the door and she squealed when it fell open. Stumbling into the room, he chuckled against her neck, holding her upright. The door slammed behind them. His steps to the bed were fluid, unhurried, his lips never seeming to leave her as he worked to undress her. He tossed her onto the bed, the coolness of the rumpled bedding causing her to arch upwards in surprise. Staring up at him, dazed, she wet her lips. "What were we talking about?"

He smirked, leaning to pop open the button of her jeans. Peeling them away, he seared her skin with his lustful gaze. He stripped out of his own shirt and her breath caught. It seemed forever since she had seen his body. She was aware of the lustful gazes he received from other women in the ring. She'd never blamed them. He could have been sculpted by Michelangelo. His skin glowed from a recent shower, the tattoos he had spent hours receiving standing out darkly. She was blatant in her admiration of his form, soft sighs pulling from her chest with each article of clothing he removed.

"You were saying something about needing to get your stuff," he murmured, kicking his discarded jeans away.

"Right." She nodded, gaze sweeping up and down his body. "...What stuff?"

He laughed as he caught one of her ankles. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to the protruding bone. She gasped, fingers digging into the rumpled sheets beneath her. His fingers trailed up her leg, lips sparking a fire each time they swept over her skin. Her eyes drifted closed when his thumbs hooked the elastic of her panties, his mouth pressing to her hip as he slid them down. Body aflame, she lifted a hand to touch the side of his face, fingers skittering over his cheek at the feel of his palm sliding over her.

"I can't get enough of you," he whispered against her skin. Cupping her breasts as his lips danced over her abdomen, he gave them a gentle squeeze before tracing her nipples with his thumbs. "You always smell so good," he continued, each word drawing her closer to a fever pitch. "But you taste so much better..." One hand slid up, fingers tracing the base of her throat before sweeping down her arm to clasp her hand. "I love you, Vanessa."

Vanessa bit down hard on her bottom lip, opening her eyes when his lips left her. Their gazes locked and she wouldn't have been able to look away to save her life. "Show me," she whispered, rising to meet his lips. Wrapping her arms around him, she held on tightly. "Show me."

* * *

><p>He was immensely enjoying a post-orgasmic haze when he heard the distant buzzing noise. Irritated, he opened his eyes, looking to the nightstand for his phone. Remembering it was still in the pocket of his jeans, he groaned, looking to the woman at his side. Hair tousled and spilling over his chest, she was fast asleep, her even breathing washing over his shoulder. One arm was draped over his torso, fingers lightly twined with his.<p>

The buzzing noise started again and he sighed. Not wanting to disturb her, he carefully slid from beneath her, holding his breath when she shifted. Watching her turn her head on the pillow, he let out the breath he had been holding. He reached for the tangled sheets at the foot of the bed, doing his best to straighten them out before draping them over her naked form. A smile touched her lips, causing him to wonder what she saw in her dreams.

As he searched the floor for his discarded jeans, he couldn't help the satisfied grin that spread his lips. She'd come back to him. Her fervent vows to never leave him again still rang in his ears. Some would have doubted the truthfulness of words spoken at the height of passion, but it was enough for him. She was his. She had been since that night months ago when he had taken her out after a house show. She would be his until the end of time.

He fished his phone out of the pocket and made a face when the buzzing noise continued. Seeing her jeans, he picked them up, the noise growing louder. He turned the pans right-side out, finally locating the source of the irritating sound. Pressing a button to silence it, he looked down at the screen and didn't hesitate to bring up the new message. He expected to see that it was from Cody, but his grip tightened when he saw the name.

__Belated thank-you for our dinner and conversation Thursday. Will see you tonight.__

"Sonofabitch," he whispered. Dinner? Conversation? With that bastard? Randy's hand tightened around the phone as he lifted his head to look at his sleeping girlfriend. See you tonight. His free hand clenched into a tight fist. We'll see about that, he thought, turning his attention back to the phone. He felt no guilt about deleting the message, and considered sending one requesting the man never contact Vanessa again. Thinking of a better idea, he slipped the phone back into her pocket and crawled back into bed.

She whined softly when he began kissing her, hands working furiously to rouse her. Feeling her return the kiss, he jerked the sheet away. She reached for him, whines deepening to soft moans that were echoed by him. Not forgetting his mission, he guided one hand down, wrapping her fingers around his growing arousal. He inhaled her soft gasp, holding onto her wrist as she brought him to full readiness.

He shifted, moving to lie over her. Pulling her legs around his waist, he pressed his lips tighter against his as he made a swift entrance. Beneath him, Vanessa arched in surprise. Breaking the kiss, he dropped his forehead to her shoulder, her soft cries of delight echoing in the room.

He'd make sure she forgot all about Wade Barrett.

**A/N: A short chap. Major things are planned for the next few chapters, and most of my focus is on them at the moment. Special thank-you to xj0j0x, Blackhat, and JohnCenaFan for their reviews. I'm sure this chapter didn't go in the direction anyone thought it would, because it sure didn't for me. Thanks for reading! :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Vanessa looked up when the chair across from her scraped back noisily. Seeing that it was Cody, she smiled in greeting. "Where have you been?" she asked with a laugh, turning off her Kindle and slipping it into her bag. "I texted you hours ago that I was at the hotel."

"I looked for you," Cody defended, his usual smile blatantly missing as he set his plate down and flopped into the chair. "Found your stuff, but not you."

"Oh." She felt her cheeks warm when she remembered how she had spent most of the afternoon. When she had finally been able to crawl out of Randy's bed to get her bags, she'd found them stacked neatly just inside her room. "Thanks for putting them in my room. I got distracted."

"Yeah. It's obvious how you got distracted." Cody pointedly stared at her chest.

"Shit," she breathed, yanking her hooded sweatshirt closed. Zipping it fully, she wondered how many others had noticed. "Why didn't you text me? I thought we were going to hit the ring today."

"I couldn't find you, what was I supposed to do? Wait around in the hall for Randy to finish fucking you?"

Vanessa reared back in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"The whole floor could hear you two, Nessa." He took a bite of his sandwich, shaking his head. "The whole hotel probably heard you."

"Why are you so angry with me, Codes?" she asked in confusion. "You told me yesterday to follow my heart."

"I didn't think your heart would lead you into his bed. Jesus," he hissed, snatching up his drink. After a hearty gulp, he set it on the table with a loud thud.

Bewildered, she could only stare at him. "I love him, Cody," she finally said. "Nothing is ever going to change that. When I got those flowers I was just overwhelmed. He hasn't sent me flowers in a long time." She paused, thinking of the floral arrangements that had once been waiting in every hotel room for her. "And what he put on the card... It was the sweetest, most romantic thing he's ever done."

"So he sends you a bunch of flowers and suddenly everything is peachy keen?" he questioned. "That's all it took? I'll have to write that down. That shit's gold."

"What do you want me to do?" she growled in frustration, sending her chair back as she stood.

"I want you to open your eyes. I did over the last couple weeks and saw a lot."

"Such as?" she snorted, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"You're not happy with him, Nessa," Cody murmured.

"I cannot believe you're doing this right now," she sighed, raking a hand through her hair. "How do you back up this theory about my not being happy? What he and I have is-"

"What you and him have isn't shit beyond the bedroom." Cody stood, meeting her gaze, and Vanessa hated the look of disappointment in his eyes. "Think about it. Oh, sure, you're always together. But you kind of have to be, because you work together. When you get a chance to do something outside work, what happens? He changes plans at the last minute. But all it takes is a few sweet words and a romp in the sack and life is all sunshine and roses again."

"I don't want to listen to this," she decided, angry tears welling in her eyes. She refused to believe what he said he was true. She and Randy did have a relationship. And it did extend far beyond the bedroom. "I'm beginning to believe you're just jealous."

"Jealous?" he repeated, following her when she turned to leave the room. "Jealous of what? The fact he has you so whipped that all he has to do is snap his fingers and you come running? Or maybe that over the past six months I've seen you turn into a shell of the person you were before he staked his claim. Oh, he staked his claim," he promised when she whirled around to stare at him. "After your first date he was telling the other guys to back off. Or did you fail to notice that you stopped getting asked out after that?"

"You're ridiculous." She shook her head and turned to continue down the hallway.

"Ask him why you don't get matches anymore, then tell me I'm ridiculous," he called after her.

Her steps faltered, but she continued on her way. She heard Cody mutter a string of curses but refused to look back. Increasing her pace until she was jogging, she made it to the dressing room she shared with Randy just as he was entering. He took one look at her and his eyes narrowed.

"What happened?"

"I think I just had a fight with Codes," she whispered as she was pulled into his embrace. Pressing her face to his shirt, she ignored the dampness of sweat that lingered from his workout in the ring. Sniffling as Cody's hateful tone repeated in her mind, she followed Randy's guidance into the room.

"C'mon," he murmured, ushering her to the small couch. When they were seated he pulled her closer, slipping a kiss to the top of her head. "Why do you think you had a fight with him?"

"Because, he said – And then I – It's hard to explain," she muttered, not sure how she could even begin to explain what had happened to Randy. Especially considering it had been about him. "It was stupid," she offered lamely, tucking herself closer to him.

"He's like your older brother, you're supposed to fight," he murmured, hand moving in slow circles on her back.

Soothed by the touch, she nodded, remaining silent as she ran over her talk – discussion? argument? - with Cody. Had she given in so easily to Randy because of the flowers? Was she that stupid? And, yes, they had spent most of the afternoon making love, but they had almost two weeks to make up for, right? Raising her head, she dashed away her tears. "We're more than sex, right?"

Randy leaned back slightly, looking down at her in surprise. "What?"

"Sex. We're more than that, aren't we? I mean..." She groaned. What did she mean? "We do more than make love. We go out and do things that aren't connected to sex or our jobs?"

"Of course we do." He reached to brush away a tear she had missed. "We're going to visit your family next week."

Now she leaned back. "We're what? How did you know-"

"You told me two weeks ago," he chuckled. "I weaseled my way into the same days off so I could go with you." He leaned close, lips resting against her forehead. "If all I wanted from you was sex, I wouldn't be interested in meeting your parents."

"Right," she whispered, struggling to picture him in the home she'd grown up in. Her old bedroom still had a twin-sized bed, for crying out loud. The thought of sleeping him in her old bedroom, with its light pink walls and frilly, ruffly bedding, was almost funny. "Are you sure? My parents are... Well, they're one of a kind."

"I think I can handle it. After the show tonight I'll book my flight and look into a hotel."

There was a hopeful look in his eyes. She couldn't bear telling him no. "Don't be silly," she groaned, cuddling close once again. "There's plenty of room at home. I'll call Mom and tell her you're coming."

"Okay. I need a shower." He began to pull away, then seemed to think better of it. Drawing her closer, he caught her lips in a tender kiss. "Don't worry about Cody, babe. I'll make sure he backs off."

_After your first date he was telling the other guys to back off._ No, she wouldn't believe it. It was just a play on words. "Go, shower," she insisted, patting his chest as she slid away. "You're starting to stink."

Randy made a show of raising his arm so he could sniff beneath it. "I thought my natural aroma was supposed to attract you," he teased.

"Your natural aroma, yes," she agreed with a laugh. "But your sweaty, post-workout aroma? Not a chance."

"Okay, okay," he relented, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I'll go shower so I can smell pretty for my woman."

"Thank you," she breathed dramatically. Stretching out on the couch, she reached for her phone to place a call home, rolling to lie on her stomach. Just as she heard her mother's voice, though, she felt a sudden weight land on her. Squealing in surprise, she sent the phone flying, wriggling as Randy nuzzled her neck. "Randy! Mom's going to think I was attacked!"

"You were," he growled playfully. "I just wanted to make sure you had another good smell of my aroma."

"God, you're so gross," she groaned. Noting that his hands were braced on the arm of the couch, she took mental inventory of his stance. She realized he was kneeling over her, not pinning her down as she had first thought. Bringing an elbow back, she connected with his chest and used all her force to push him away. He grunted, her movement obviously catching him by surprise, and rolled away. Rolling with him, she grinned as they landed on the floor. "Pinned ya," she gibed, kneeling on his chest. She leaned to scoop up her phone, grateful to see the call was still connected.

"Babe, you can pin me any day." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. His hands caught her waist and he lifted her as he sat up. "Say hi to your mom," he requested as he dropped her on the couch.

Vanessa slapped a hand to her forehead as he sauntered into the bathroom. "It's no fun winning when you can just toss me around like a beach ball," she called after him, laughing when he flexed his biceps. Shaking her head, she heard her mother chuckling. "Hi, Mom."

"Did you call at a bad time, sweetie?"

"I didn't think so at the time." Vanessa waited until she heard the shower start running before speaking again. "About my trip home Wednesday."

"If you're calling to say you're not coming, I am personally marching out to wherever the hell you are and dragging you home by your ear," Judith warned.

"I'm still coming, I promise! I just wanted to let you know that I won't be alone." Unconsciously, Vanessa reached to rub her ear.

"You mean you're finally bringing that boy home to meet your family?"

"Mom, please don't call him a boy. Trust me when I say, he's all man."

"Hey, babe," Randy called from the bathroom. "Can you look in my bag for my face wash?"

Vanessa heard her mother begin to giggle. "Face wash is manly," she defended in a low mumble, getting to her feet to do as requested. "It's okay with you, isn't it, Mom?"

"Of course it is," Judith promised after composing herself. "I'll make sure the guest room is ready for him."

"Um, Mom..." Vanessa trailed as she walked into the bathroom. Handing over the bottle when Randy drew back the curtain, she then leaned against the sink. "He said he'd get a hotel room."

"Don't be ridiculous. Your grandmother would have my hide if I made him stay at a hotel. You tell him that he'll stay here and like it." There was a slight pause. "Oh. Oh! You mean that... Sweetie, you don't have to get a hotel room just so you two can have sex!"

"Mom!" she groaned in mortification.

"Well you don't! Good grief, Vanessa. We're not prudes. You've been on the pill since you were sixteen and the good Lord knows you've been having sex for quite a while. I'll fix up the guest room for the both of you. There's no way on earth he'll fit in that tiny bed of yours. Though, you know, your father and I..."

Vanessa pulled the phone away from her ear, staring at it in horror as her mother babbled on. Not even bothering to bring it back, she blurted, "I gotta get ready for the show. Love you, Mom!" Ending the call, she slipped the phone into her pocket and brought both hands to her face. "God, she's going to embarrass the hell out of me next week."

* * *

><p>Randy stepped around crew members that were setting up the ringside barrier, eyes on the man waiting in the ring. He felt his hand clench while thinking of the rehearsal he had witnessed for the promo that Vanessa and Barrett would be recording that night. There was still no hint from Creative as to what the so-called love triangle's outcome was going to be. But he knew the fans were liking the banter between his girlfriend and the man. He had learned in the early days of his career to ignore message boards and fan sites, but sometimes he couldn't help himself. With each new segment between Vanessa and Wade, fans' interest in her grew.<p>

They liked what was happening.

__I don't___,_ he thought as he climbed into the ring. He hated every moment of it. His gut and heart twisted painfully each time he saw them together. Never mind that it was all innocent – so far – on the surface. Creative was still portraying her as the woman making sure her man maintained his title, but each week he saw hints that they were going to have her turn on him.

It wouldn't bother him so much if it was anyone but Barrett. He reminded himself of that fact every day, even though he knew that it was a lie. He hated seeing her with another man, period. Even Cody, who was as harmless as a dandelion when it came to Vanessa, managed to rile his jealousy.

"Let's get on with it," he told Barrett, rolling his shoulders.

Watching from an empty seat on an upper level, Vanessa leaned forward as the men began to circle the ring. She likened their pacing to tigers in a cage. Could anyone else that watched see their intense dislike for each other? Bracing her arms on the railing, she didn't look away when someone took the seat next to her. She knew it was just a quick work through of their planned match that night, but even the way they stopped occasionally to talk to each other was electric.

"They're going to end up killing each other one day," a voice beside her murmured as Randy fell to the mat.

Turning, she saw AJ perched on the edge of her seat, eyes on the ring. She looked back to the men and sighed. "Looks that way."

"Word is you went out to dinner with him last week," AJ said after a moment.

Not taking her eyes from her boyfriend as he mopped sweat from his brow with his arm, Vanessa sighed. "I did. It's not like we went back to the hotel and had hot, sweaty sex," she insisted, grateful the area was relatively dim when her cheeks flushed with warmth. "It was just dinner."

"Randy wasn't too happy, was he?"

Vanessa turned to face the petite brunette. Blinking in surprise, she waited until AJ looked to her before speaking. "What do you mean? Randy doesn't even know."

AJ's eyes widened. "Are you sure about that, Vanessa? He was mouthing off about it in the locker room earlier."

"What did he say?"

AJ bit her lip. "I probably wasn't supposed to hear, but it was hard not to. But I like you, so when I heard your name I couldn't help but listen."

Vanessa released her breath slowly. "What did you hear?" she asked, glancing back to the ring in time to see Randy climbing out. Work through was over. Eyes drifting to Wade, who was pulling a towel off the turnbuckle, she bit her lip. She hadn't seen him alone since making up with Randy. He had promised to call or text after their dinner, but her phone had been devoid of anything from him. She felt a pang of disappointment. She'd thought he was one to keep his word.

"He was talking to Ted. I heard him say something about how he had to cancel dinner with you one night." AJ leaned back in her seat. "I didn't hear the next part, because some of the guys got loud. But then he was saying that he picked up your phone and saw a text from Wade. He said he'd be damned if he let you go out with him again."

"Good God," Vanessa breathed. He'd been going through her phone? Of course he had. They were always answering the others phones. It just happened. In fact, she'd had Randy's phone in her pocket since arriving at the venue. It was common sense to do so, just in case an emergency arose. She must have just overlooked the text from Wade. "He's just worried. What with the storyline and everything, y'know? It's sweet that he's so insecure. And after what happened with Debbie... It's understandable, right?"

"Who's Debbie?" AJ asked in confusion.

Vanessa's eyes drifted to the ring again. Her heart stopped when she saw Wade looking directly at her. "I'll tell you later, okay? I have to talk to Wade about our segment tonight," she announced, already on her feet.

"Sure. Lunch tomorrow?" AJ suggested, rising as well.

"Sounds great. Text me," Vanessa called over her shoulder as she raced up the stairs. She jogged through the door, around the corner, and down the steps that would lead her to the floor level. Pausing on the landing, she pulled out her phone and brought up her messages. Her fingers flew over the screen, searching all her messages for one from Wade. Her heart plummeted at the words 'No Results Found'. Frowning, she slipped the phone back into her pocket.

When she made her way onto floor level, he was still in the ring.

_Is he waiting for me?_ she wondered as she headed up the aisle between the rows of folding chairs. She immediately chastised herself for caring. Pulling herself up and over the barrier, she approached the ring. "Stu," she said softly, looking up at him.

"Vanessa," he returned.

Cool. Detached. The same tone he had used when their storyline started. Over the recent weeks she had picked up on the different nuances of his voice. The warmth when he was relaxed. The hint of laughter bubbling beneath the surface when he was amused. The tenderness when he was concerned. She decided she hated the cool voice of detachment. "This is going to sound ludicrous, but... Have you sent me any messages since last Thursday?"

"I've sent you several." His eyes met hers. "Are you going to pull the 'my phone's not working' line on me, love?"

Her lips pursed and she looked down at the phone. "No, I'm not."

"Or perhaps your inbox was so full my messages were lost in space?"

She sighed. "No." Lifting her gaze, she saw him slide out of the ring and come to stand in front of her. "How about 'I think my boyfriend deleted them' as an excuse?"

"Goes through your messages, does he?"

"There has to be a mistake. Maybe you didn't send them to me-"

"Hold on, love." He ducked to pick up the bag on the floor beside him. Rooting through it, he finally pulled out his phone. Holding it out to her, he gave her a nod. "Go ahead, check for yourself."

She looked from his face to the phone and back again. "No," she whispered. "I trust you."

"So much that you brought him with you when we went over our lines?"

"He wanted to come, Stu. I couldn't very well tell him no." Vanessa glanced away when she heard the clatter of folding chairs falling over. "I'm sorry. You must have thought I was upset when I didn't reply."

"Very astute, love." He dropped his phone into his bag before slinging it over his shoulder. "Are you?"

"No. Not really. It's a lot to take in. And yes, it explained things, but there's still so much I'm confused about."

"It drove you back to his arms, didn't it?"

She blinked in surprise. "Stu-" She cut off, biting down hard on her bottom lip. Sucking in a deep breath, she reached up to dash away her tears before they could fall. "Can't we just be friends right now?"

"Would you really be satisfied having me as a friend?" he asked. One hand dove into the bag hanging at his side and withdrew with a handkerchief.

She sniffled as he pressed the soft linen into her hand. Looking down at it, she then turned her bewildered expression to him. "Really?" she whispered, dabbing at her eyes. "Next you'll be throwing your coat over a puddle so my feet won't get wet."

"Nonsense," he scoffed. "I'd carry you across." He cleared his throat, shaking his head when she offered the handkerchief back. "Keep it, love, you may need it again."

"Can we talk? I mean, really talk? Not now," she murmured when he raised an eyebrow. "Tonight. Or in the morning."

"I may be on the roof of the hotel later tonight, if you feel the need to have a cigarette."

**A/N Thanks for all the lovely reviews. JohnCenaFan definitely wins "most hilarious review" for the wonderful phrase, "Poop on Randy", which sent me into a giggle fit for a good ten minutes. And xj0j0x wins ****awesomeness for referring to my OC by her nickname. Special thanks to Blackhat for reviewing as well. So glad people are enjoying this! Thanks for reading!**__


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Special thank-you to JohnCenaFan, xj0j0x, and Blackhat for reviews. Also thanks to those that have subscribed/favorited/alerted, etc. Thanks for reading. :)**_

_Warning: This chapter contains scenes of abuse and non-consensual sex between adults. I thought long and hard about leaving this in, and have come to the conclusion that later events are meaningless without this. I don't want to offend or upset my readers, though, so if you don't want to read the scenes, feel free to drop me a PM and I will give you a summary of what happens. Thank you._

Chapter Ten

Vanessa leaned against the wall, staring at Wade, who loomed over her. His face was awash with dangerous anger and she knew in that moment that she never, ever, wanted to truly make him mad. She flinched as his hand slammed against the wall next to her head, barring her escape.

"You think you can toy with me?" he sneered, lip curling as he glanced down at her shirt. "You think I'm stupid? I would have to be the world's largest idiot to fall for your charm, Miss Tyler."

"No, you've got it all wrong," she insisted, moving her hands to rest on his chest. Her palm flattened over solid muscle and she felt her pulse accelerate upon feeling the way his heart seemed to race at her touch. _Here's hoping the fans don't hate me,_ she thought. "You once said I should be with someone who'd treat me like a lady." Had Creative planted a chip in her brain to read her thoughts? She swore he had used those words off-camera.

"I've said many things." His other hand raised to press against the wall, barring any escape she may have planned. "So have you."

"What do you mean?" She unconsciously wet her lips as he seemed to move closer.

"I've heard you talking to your little friends about me. How you'll take care of me so Orton maintains his title. But you've made a mistake, Miss Tyler. I don't get distracted. Least of all by someone like you."

"Like me?" She laughed. "You've gotten it so wrong, Wade. If you'd open your eyes you'd see that I'm doing the exact opposite."

"What's that mean?" he asked. He was moving closer. She could feel his body starting to press against hers. God in heaven, she could barely concentrate. He hadn't been that close when they'd rehearsed.

"Randy is a good man, don't get me wrong." She slid her hand up, tracing the collar of his shirt with the tip of her finger. "But he's been on top for too long. He's done everything he can to stay on top. He's cheated, lied, even stolen. Isn't it time someone give him a taste of his own medicine?"

"Are you telling me that you're planning on backstabbing him?"

"Don't put words in my mouth. I'm just saying that you're the only man who can knock him from the pedestal he built for himself."

"What's in it for me?"

"The title. Fame and glory." She pulled her lips into a smile. "If you're good, maybe even me."

She barely heard the noise the audience made as his lips descended over hers. The one part of the segment they hadn't gone over. A good thing, considering Randy had been with them at the time. But now they were alone, except for the cameraman. And the millions watching. But she didn't focus on those facts, instead allowing her eyes to drift shut. She sank into the kiss, hands sliding into his hair. Heart aching, she realized it may be the only chance she had to feel his lips on hers again. The thought only urged her on, a soft whine bubbling in her throat when his hands moved to frame her face.

"We're clear."

"Bloody hell," Wade whispered as the kiss broke. She slowly opened her eyes to find him staring at her, eyes aglow. "You certainly sold that kiss, love."

"You didn't do too bad, either," she replied breathlessly. She heard the door open and swallowed anxiously as he stepped back, turning his back to her. "I'll see you out there, then."

"Right."

"Be careful."

He turned to look at her, one hand lifting to brush over his lips. "I will."

* * *

><p>Randy hissed as he stepped under the water. It pounded against his skin like millions of rocks, each one seeming to land on the scrape along his abdomen. Turning to reduce the amount that touched his injury, he braced one hand against the tile wall. Barrett had been brutal in the ring. More than usual. He couldn't help wondering if it had something to do with the fact Vanessa had all but announced that she was going to cheat Randy out of the title. Or maybe it was that kiss...<p>

He growled, snatching up the bar of soap. He was halfway through his match before the red tinge of rage had finally left his vision. He knew when he watched the footage later he would hear the announcers say he wasn't holding anything back. And he hadn't. When he'd seen Vanessa return Barrett's kiss he had wanted to demolish him.

He still did.

"You okay, babe?" Vanessa asked softly, pulling the curtain back so she could peek in. He saw her gaze drop to the long red streak on his abdomen and she winced.

"I'll live." He growled as the soap made its way down his body, the scrape burning as the bubbles made contact. "Fuck!" he bellowed, throwing the soap onto the floor.

"Rinse off," she advised softly.

He did as she said, too tense to argue. The water presser appeared to intensify as he turned, this time feeling like millions of knives. Grumbling under his breath, he shut off the water and shoved the curtain back fully.

A warm towel was waiting for him when he stepped out. He stood still as she dried off his body, taking special care not to exacerbate the scrape. When she finished, she was kneeling in front of him, and looked up at him, a hint of fear in her eyes. "Babe," she began, picking up another towel to wrap around him. She stood up slowly, adjusting the towel so it rested just so on his hips. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't throw me against the announcers' table."

"I'm not talking about that. I mean about the kiss."

"Did you have to look like you enjoyed it?" he sighed, dragging his hand over his face.

"I had to sell it," she defended gently. Her finger traced a line around the scrape that began at his hip and stretched up to just below his nipple. "Do you want me to put some Neosporin on this?"

"I want Creative to end this fucking storyline so things can get back to normal. I want – I want – Fuck it," he groaned, grabbing her hips and yanking her close. "I want to look at you and not worry that you're thinking of him."

"Randy," she whispered, flinching as his fingers tightened. "You're hurting me."

It took every ounce of control he had to lessen his grip. "See? See what he's done to us? What happens when he's not happy with on-camera bullshit and tries to really take you from me?"

"Will you please get it into your head that I'm not Debbie?" she returned, brow furrowing in anger.

He released her so suddenly she stumbled back. "What the fuck does that mean?"

"I know what happened, Randy. I know you walked in on them having sex. And I understand that you'd be worried about it happening again. But, damn, babe, I'm not her." She ran her hands through her hair. "Yes, he's a charming guy. And I'll be honest, I find him attractive. If I weren't with you, I would be interested in him."

"You went to dinner with him, Vanessa," he reminded, not caring if she learned how he knew. "What the fuck was that about, anyway?"

"What was I supposed to do? Sit around in the hotel room waiting for you to grace me with your presence? It's not like I dragged him back to the room to fuck him. We had dinner. We walked back to the hotel. We said goodnight at the elevator. End of story."

"I can't believe this," he hissed. "What am I supposed to think, huh? You didn't even tell me about it. You just showed up at the hotel Saturday and crawled into bed like nothing was wrong. Why didn't you tell me? I had to fucking find out by-"

"By what, Randy?" she challenged when he abruptly ended his sentence. "By going through my phone? So much for trust. I would have told you if you'd given me a chance. I didn't crawl into bed, you dragged me." She yanked the first-aid kit from her toiletry bag and began to rummage through it.

Leaning against the sink, he forced himself to remain calm. "I don't remember you putting up much of a fight," he muttered, curling his hands around the cool porcelain when she began to dab ointment onto his scrape.

"Would it have mattered if I did?" she whispered, eyes meeting his.

"Jesus Christ, I'd never force you to-" he cut off with a yelp as she rubbed the ointment into his skin.

"Are you going to bed now?" she asked a few moments later, following him from the bathroom.

"Early morning," he answered. "And we're flying out tomorrow night, remember?" Tossing his towel aside, he motioned for her to move closer. She hesitated and he bit back a series of curses. Not wanting to give her a choice, he reached for her, dragging her close by the wrist. "Come to bed with me."

"I want to run to the roof and get a smoke," she murmured. He felt her tense as his lips nudged her forehead.

"You can wait," he insisted. "I want to make up with you."

"All we do is make up." She groaned when he tugged at the hem of her t-shirt. "You ever think we should address our problems instead of pushing them aside for sex?"

He smirked as his hands plunged beneath her shirt. Wetting his lips as he found her bare breasts, he dipped his head to nuzzle her neck. "We're not pushing them aside," he whispered against her skin, hand sliding down her side. Finding the waistband of her jeans, he moved his hand forward. It took just a flick of his thumb to pop open the button. He had just begun to push them down when her hands stopped him.

"We're pushing them aside," she groaned, finally breaking free. "We always do this."

"We're good at this," he reminded her. "Everything works out, doesn't it?"

"We're not working things out," she ground out. She lifted her head, turquoise eyes glowing with – no, not desire. Anger. She was pissed. "We're just going to fuck until we forget what's wrong."

"We must be doing it wrong, because it always crops up again," he returned with a scowl. "So what do we do, babe? Stop having sex until things are perfect? 'Cause not everything's going perfect all the time."

"I thought we were perfect."

He cursed when he saw she had her cigarettes in her hand. "You can't leave me," he informed, smug when she froze at the sound of his voice. "You're not leaving," he insisted as he stepped forward.

"I'm just going upstairs for-"

"You're not leaving," he repeated, hands wrapping around her wrists. He would be damned if he let her walk out on him again. He felt her tremble, heard the cigarettes fall to the desk, and knew he had put her in her place. "I'm sick of this shit," he hissed, pushing her towards the bed. "You're mine, babe, remember? I worked hard to get you and I'll be goddamned if I'm going to just let you waltz away."

"Randy," she breathed. "Please, don't—"

"I almost lost you once, I'm not losing you again," he whispered. Certain she wouldn't try to get away, he released her wrists and yanked off her shirt. "Take off the pants."

"What are you doing?" she asked. He saw tears in her eyes but refused to be swayed.

"I'm showing you that you belong to me. Take them off."

It took her forever to follow his order. When, at long last, she stood naked before him, he grabbed her by the waist and pushed her onto the bed. Leaning over her, he pressed his lips to hers. She flailed as he settled between her thighs.

"Don't you dare," he growled, catching her wrists again. "You're not getting out of this. You think you can just do whatever the fuck you want? You can't." He pressed her hands down onto the bed, staring down at her until she stilled. Slipping one hand between them, he smirked when he found her slick. "You like this, don't you?" he whispered, fingers working rapidly to ready her.

"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "Randy, please, don't-"

"This will go a lot quicker if you fucking work with me." Feeling the wetness on his fingers grow, he smirked again. "That's better." He dropped his hand to her thigh, fingers digging into her soft skin as he entered her. "This," he hissed, "is how things are going to happen from now on." Her hands lifted, pressing against his chest, and he pinned them over her her head, holding her down completely. "You're not going anywhere without my permission. You're not seeing _him_ alone at all. You're not talking to him. You're not texting him. If he corners you, you're going to get the fuck away. Do you understand?"

She nodded, eyes closed tightly.

Randy worked his hips against hers, refusing to part from her body entirely. Growling when he felt her tighten around him, he leaned to kiss her neck. "If I want you, you don't say no," he whispered. "Not that it matters, because I'm taking what I want anyway." His tongue traced her earlobe and he felt her shiver. "That's right, babe. See? Even when you fight it, your body knows it wants me."

She turned her head to the side, eyes still closed, and he saw the trails of tears down her cheeks. Her body was no more than a rigid board beneath him. He felt her shift once, twice, and then she gave a soft cry as her body shuddered. Fueled on, he slammed into her, body straining. Head falling back, he dug his fingers into the tender skin of her wrists as the orgasm swept over him.

When he rolled away, he heard her start to sniffle. He flexed his fingers, glancing to see her rubbing her wrists. He noted with another smirk that she didn't scramble to get away. Sitting up, he turned out the lamp and reached for the TV remote. "Get up and turn out the lights, babe."

She did as he instructed. His eyes never left her as she crossed back to the bed. When she stopped at her open suitcase to pull out a nightshirt, he shook his head.

"You don't need that." He licked his lips as the nightshirt fell back into the suitcase and watched the light from the TV screen glow on her skin. She pulled back the covers and slid into bed, still quiet, laying down with a furtive glance in his direction. Lying next to her, he stretched his arms over his head, eyes finally moving to the TV. "Just remember what I told you and everything will be fine."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

_"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Local time is three forty-five a.m. and the temperature is thirty-one..."_

Vanessa pulled her gaze from the window as the flight attendant continued the announcement. Hating the cheerful voice of the woman, she stretched her legs out in front of her. The flight had seemed interminably long. No doubt because she had forgotten to get her usual crossword book at the airport in Seattle. With a glance to the man in the seat next to her, she knew why. How could she be expected to remember anything with him rushing her all the time?

_"...I'd like to thank you for joining us on this trip and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future. Have a nice stay!"_

Because the flight attendants had recognized Randy and were purportedly big fans, he was ushered off the plane before anyone lse. Vanessa wondered if it was just an afterthought when he motioned for her to walk ahead of him. Nevertheless she smiled as he slipped her carry-on from her hands. His hand rested at the small of her back as they deplaned, and remained there on their trek into the terminal.

He'd been a perfect gentleman for twenty-four hours. There hadn't been even the slightest hint of the monster she had seen the night before. In fact, when she'd awakened from a fitful sleep that morning to find him coming in with coffee and her favorite danishes she had thought the events had been a nightmare. Then she'd seen the bruises...

She lightly rubbed her wrists as Randy guided her to the baggage claim. Blessedly, the weather called for sweaters and coats. She had no idea how she would explain the marks to her parents otherwise. She found herself grateful it was winter and there would be no risk of any of the marks he'd left on her skin being seen.

"Alright, babe?" Randy asked, arm slipping around her as they watched the turnstile.

She nodded shakily. "Just tired."

"Where's your dad waiting for us?"

She blinked, pulling her mind from the atrocities of the previous night. "I need to call him," she murmured, reaching into her purse.

"Can you get me some coffee? I'll get our stuff."

She nodded again, eyes closing briefly when he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. Clutching her phone tightly, she turned to find a stand or store that was open. With each step that took her away from him she felt it easier to breathe. When she turned the corner she felt a wave of relief upon realizing that he wasn't coming after her.

_Is this how it's going to be from now on? Will I ever feel comfortable again?_

The only answer to the questions in her mind was a resounding _no_. Shakily, she powered on her phone, heading in the direction of a concession stand that had a line. When her phone was ready she dialed her father.

"Kitten, your flight is early."

It was so good to hear his voice she wanted to cry. Her father wasn't big or strong, by any means, but he would always be the giant that slayed the monsters in her closet. The fact he despised emailing and texting was one of the hardest parts about being away from home. "Daddy," she sighed, taking her place in line behind a statuesque blonde. "Are you here yet?"

"One would think the parking lot would be a ghost town at three in the morning, but it took me thirty minutes to find a decent spot. I hope you and Randy don't mind walking. I'll be damned if I'm going to try to move closer."

"We don't mind," she promised. "He's getting our bags now. I'm in line for coffee." Her eyes moved to the signs pointing to where she had come from and she rattled off the information, though she knew her father had already mapped out the entire airport in his mind so he could find them.

"I'll be there in three minutes."

Vanessa pulled her phone away when the call ended, shaking her head at his succinctness. Wriggling her toes in the new suede boots she wore, she shuffled forward with the line. The aroma of fresh coffee warmed her, buoying her spirits briefly as she gave her order. Cups in hand, she headed back to baggage claim.

And found her boyfriend surrounded.

She smiled despite her worries and exhaustion. A dozen people hovered around him, each one smiling in awe as he scribbled his name on proffered objects. Flashes went off when he leaned down to hug a small child. He dismissed a casually-dressed man that was armed with photos of him and she knew she would be hearing about eBay trolls later. She stood off to the side, looking on.

"As I live and breathe," a familiar voice murmured behind her. "Aren't you Vanessa Tyler, the beautiful woman that's on my TV screen every week?"

Turning, Vanessa squealed as she was wrapped in the loving embrace of her father's arms. Holding onto the coffee cups, she returned the hug as best she could, breathing in the calming aroma of Old Spice and pipe smoke that was so uniquely his. "Daddy, you know as well as I do that you don't watch the show," she chastised, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Your mother does, and she calls me in to see you." Brian Tyler gave his daughter a squeeze before stepping back to look her up and down. "You look good, Kitten. I can tell you're not getting enough sleep, but I'll leave that argument to your mother."

Vanessa wrinkled her nose; it was an argument that was nearly as old as she was. "You look good, too, Daddy." And he did. Over fifty, he was still trim. His midsection had filled out a little in the past few years, but it only added to his comfortable aura. Prematurely graying hair was still in the process of turning his neatly cropped locks to a dignified silver. Wire-framed glasses perched on his nose, khakis, a blue sweater and a tweed blazer completed his look, which had been and always would be the epitome of an English professor.

She heard Randy's voice and looked over her shoulder, surprised to see him gesturing towards her. Realizing he was motioning for her to come to him, she stepped forward. Two women stood nearby, cameras at the ready and looks of awe on their faces. Randy's arm slipped around her shoulders and he leaned down, lips next to her ear.

"They want a picture of us together," he murmured before pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Why?" she blurted. Randy's fans never asked for her picture. She could remember more than one occasion when she had rudely been asked to get out of the way. Realizing her gaffe, she smiled to the women. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," one assured with a laugh. "We're sorry for bothering you. We just never expected to see either of you here."

"Do you live nearby, Vanessa?" the other asked.

She blinked away the brief blindness as the flashes went off. "My family does," she answered, glancing back to her father. He stood, hands in his pockets, looking on with a bemused smile.

She barely heard the fans' excited thank-you's, and managed to step away so Randy could fulfill their request for a hug. She nodded and smiled when they thanked her, watching them head away with a shake of her head. "We're sorry for bothering you," she repeated. "But please stand there and look happy while I take your picture at four in the morning..."

Randy chuckled as he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder. "It could have been worse."

She tried to imagine a scenario that would be worse than being accosted in the middle of the night by strangers. The bathroom, she supposed as she pulled out the handle of her rolling suitcase. Being cornered in the bathroom for a photo and autograph would definitely be worse. Awkward, too, if it happened before she washed her hands. Shaking her head to clear the thoughts away, she reached for Randy's arm as they moved towards her father.

She made the introductions and knew Randy had made a positive impression when he referred to her father as 'Sir' before shaking his hand. As they made their way through the terminal she marveled again at the change from the man he had been in the hotel the night before. Still not even the vaguest hint of the snarling beast that had... She gulped before she could think the word, biting down on her lip as Randy's hand found hers for a squeeze.

The ride to her hometown was uneventful. In the back seat, she watched the passing scenery with disinterest, nodding off more than once as the two men chatted in the front seat. When she saw the sign – _Welcome to Bogart – Population: 1,034_ – she smiled with relief. The tiny town was still the same. The water tower still needed a new coat of paint. The shops on Main Street still looked like days long ago. The town square still had the American flag displayed on a flagpole with pride, a spotlight shining on the flag that ruffled in the breeze.

Her parents' home was still the same, too. An old Victorian at the edge of town, it still held the grace of a lavish manor house. The light was on in the living room window that faced the street, as it always had been when someone was gone after dark. As the car pulled into the paved driveway the light on the side porch came on. Vanessa was out of the car before it stopped properly, and she was up the steps and in her mother's arms before her father turned off the headlights.

"Oh, sweetie, it's so good to see you! Let me get a look at you. You need some sleep. Get upstairs and into bed. Your father will bring up your stuff. Where's this boy of yours?"

Vanessa laughed at the incessant chatter of her mother. Wiping away her sudden tears, she turned to see Randy walking up the steps. "Mama, this is Randy Orton. Randy, this is my mother, Judith Tyler."

"Ma'am," Randy greeted, setting down the bags he carried.

"Well my goodness, you're a lot taller than you look on TV," Judith murmured. "Don't call me ma'am, young man, it makes me feel old. It's Judith. Now get inside. Upstairs and into bed, both of you. Brian, you get the rest of their stuff and get into bed yourself."

Vanessa barely had the chance to get a word in edgewise as her mother shooed them upstairs. She stepped into the guest room, with its bay window and glowing lamp, and released a sigh of contentment. Home.

"Is this your old room?" Randy asked when the door clicked shut after a chorus of good-nights from her parents. Dropping his coat on the window seat, he reached to rub the back of his neck.

"No, that's down the hall. This was supposed to be my room when we moved in years ago, but Mama wanted the guest room to be close to the bathroom and the stairs." Vanessa tossed her coat to join his. "I always liked this room, though." She kicked off her boots, pushing them under the chair next to the dresser. "Do you want me to unpack anything for you?"

"Nah." His clothes were left in a pile by the bed. Vanessa bit her lip when she noted his boxers were added to the pile. She knew what that meant.

"I'm so exhausted," she sighed as she unzipped her suitcase slightly. Reaching in, she felt around for her favorite nightshirt. Pulling it out, she dropped it on the bed and began to undress. She heard the springs of the old bed squeak as he climbed in and ducked her head, shielding her face from his view.

"C'mon, babe, you don't need that," he murmured as she lifted the nightshirt to pull over her head.

"It gets cold in here at night, Randy," she disagreed. The springs squeaked again and she faltered, holding the old soft cotton to her chest.

"I'll keep you warm," he promised, hand sliding up her arm. She shivered at the delicate touch, nightshirt slipping from her grasp as he cupped the back of her neck. He guided her head down, lips finding hers in a gentle kiss.

As she let herself get pulled into the bed, growing dizzy from his attentions, she wondered how her body could betray her. It didn't seem to care that she wasn't the least bit interested in being intimate with him. All it took was a touch, a kiss, from him and her body gave in.

She straddled him, breath coming in short gasps between kisses as their bodies joined. His hands slid to rest on her hips, guiding her in an excruciatingly slow pace. Each touch from him was whisper-soft, each kiss a tender sweep of his lips over hers. Wrapping her arms around him, she traced his back with her hands, willing herself to believe that this was his true self. The loving, careful man that whispered sweet words in her ear and made sure the covers were pulled around her to keep her from being chilled. The gentle, thorough lover that knew where to touch her to bring forth the blinding passion.

He continued to whisper in her ear as he lay back, bringing the covers over them. His hands moved gently up and down her back, his lips caressed her cheek. As promised, he kept her warm as she drifted off to sleep. Her last conscious thought was that the night before had been all her fault.

* * *

><p>"Susie's bringing her green bean casserole. June's bringing ham rolls and her taco dip. Bonnie's got tea covered. Ellen's bringing macaroni and cheese, and of course Buddy's bringing the beer. Brian's insisting on grilling the steaks outside, though why he wants to when it's this cold is beyond me. I've got my brownies in the oven and will do my potatoes when people start getting here. Linda's bringing a few things, but as usual I don't know what." Judith looked up from the notes she'd written on the back of an envelope. "Am I missing anything?"<p>

"A cake?" Vanessa suggested after a moment.

"I have to pick it up from Mrs. Harrison this afternoon." Judith pulled off her reading glasses and rubbed her eyes. "Is that everything?"

Vanessa suppressed a sigh and pushed the last lunch plate into the dishwasher. She closed the door and turned it on before her mother could fuss at her for loading it wrong, drying her hands on a dishtowel. "Real dishes or paper plates?" she asked, glancing through the archway into the living room. From where she stood she could see only the TV screen, which was currently tuned in to the History channel. "I'll do the dishes if you want to use Grandma Turner's china," she offered when her mother hesitated.

"Alright, real dishes." Judith plucked an envelope from the basket of mail. She glanced at the front before flipping it over to write on the back. "Are you coming with me to Mary's?"

Vanessa thought of the single-wide trailer that was the town's only hair salon. It had no real name, because everyone knew Mary. Toying with a strand of her elbow-length hair, which she'd thrown into a sloppy ponytail after getting out of bed that morning, she recalled the travesty of hair bleached so badly it had felt like a bale of hay and gave a quick shake of her head. "I'm good. I'll take out the dishes and set the table while you're gone. And I need to go buy something for Freddie. What are you giving him?"

"Those prints I had made of your grandma's old negatives."

Vanessa nodded. Her uncle loved pictures of family. "I'll pick up some frames for them, then. Write down the sizes, okay?"

"I will if you sit down and relax. You've been darting around since you got up this morning." Judith turned back to her new list. "Didn't you sleep good last night?"

"I slept like a rock. I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow," Vanessa promised, moving to the coffeepot. Filling her mug, she stirred in a copious amount of sugar before joining her mother at the table. She heard a snort and looked up in surprise, cheeks flushing when she found herself on the receiving end of a knowing look.

"I may be getting old, Vanessa Marie, but I ain't dead."

_Oh, God_. "Mom," she groaned, looking into her cup to avoid the look that always made her spill her secrets.

"Don't worry. Your father's going to spray some WD-40 on those old springs so they don't make so much noise."

"_Mama_," Vanessa whined, bringing a hand to cover her flaming face. "New subject, please?"

"I like him." The words brought Vanessa's head upward. Judith smiled. "He's nice. His mama taught him good manners. He's not arrogant. And he's obviously devoted to you."

Vanessa nodded, unable to find words that would validate her mother's opinion. _Randy, not arrogant?_ she thought, taking a sip of coffee. Setting down the mug, she brushed her fingers over her left wrist, picturing the fading bruises that were hidden beneath the cuff of her University of Georgia sweatshirt. _Devoted_.

"I think it's so sweet, how he's always looking at you." Latched onto the new topic, Judith was positively beaming. "When you came down this morning he couldn't look away. Anyone looking at him can see he's crazy about you." She paused, then released an amused laugh. "And when you went back upstairs to shower he looked like he was lost. It's like he doesn't like having you out of his sight for more than a few minutes."

Vanessa nodded again, tugging the cuffs of her sweatshirt down until they covered most of her hands. Cupping her mug between her palms, she sipped at her coffee, thinking back on the frantic moments during her shower. The cold wall against her back, his lips over hers, silencing her protests. The fingers that had caressed her so sweetly in the early morning hours digging into her hips. The sound of her shampoo falling to the bottom of the tub.

"I was telling your father earlier that I see diamonds in your future."

Vanessa choked on her coffee. Slamming the mug down, she ignored the sepia liquid that sloshed onto the tabletop. Sputtering, eyes burning, she covered her mouth with her elbow, staring at her mother in disbelief. Diamonds? Did she mean an engagement ring? Engagement to Randy? She gasped for air. Marriage? To the man in the living room that switched from loving to cruel in seconds? The very idea caused her body to tighten with panic. Her mother, blessedly, missed the look of terror, already retrieving paper towels to mop up the mess. Vanessa feebly cleared the spilled coffee, gaze on the fingers of her left hand. She tried to conjure the image of a diamond ring, slipped on by Randy, and felt her heartbeat accelerate.

_Please, God, no_, she prayed silently after mumbling that she had to use the bathroom. Jogging up the stairs, she paused at the top landing, gripping the carved banister until her knuckles turned white. Engagement. Marriage. Children? The things she once longed for most in the world now seemed like a nightmare. The very thought of spending the rest of her life with the man that alternated between worshiping and hurting her caused her stomach to churn.

Randy's sudden bark of laughter from the living room sent her darting into the bathroom. She barely made it to the toilet before the home-cooked lunch her mother had prepared came back up.

**A/N: Special thank-you to my faithful reviewers: Blackhat, JohnCenaFan, and xj0j0x (whose tumblr I've been stalking-er, looking at a lot lately)! You lovely ladies (?) really make writing this worthwhile.**

**Factoid: Bogart, Georgia is a real town. Population really is 1,034. Other than that, everything else is made up. My only reason for choosing it was that it's near Athens, Georgia, where University of Georgia is located. **

**Also - I know nothing about Atlanta's airport, other than the fact that it's actually in Atlanta. However, I do know that WD-40 is an awesome thing to keep around the house in case of squeaky household items. The names mentioned by Vanessa's mother are all names of members of my family, who hopefully won't mind that I used them here. I know a lovely lady named Mary who does run a hair salon (that has a name and isn't in a trailer) and is fabulous with scissors and hair dye.**

**I daresay my author's notes were almost as long as the chapter. Eeps! I become verbose when writing after midnight. Thanks so much for reading! :) **


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"Whoa. You look like shit."

Vanessa raised her head at the sound of the familiar voice and sighed when she saw Cody standing nearby. "Thanks," she mumbled, turning her attention back to the bag of tea she was swirling in the cup of hot water. "Just what a woman wants to hear."

"Just being honest." He stepped closer, reaching to fill a cup with water as well. She watched him open a tea bag to slip into the cup and raised an eyebrow. She had never known him to drink hot tea. His arm brushed hers, bringing her attention to his face, and his eyes searched hers. "What's wrong, Nessa?"

"I've been feeling under the weather the past few days. I think I've got a bug or something." She gave the tea bag a final swirl before tossing it into the trash. Reaching for the sugar, she bit back a smile when Cody sipped his tea.

"Bleah," he groaned. "Hand me the sugar." He scooped several spoonfuls into his cup. "How are your folks?"

"They're good. It was nice to be home for a couple days. Mama filled me up with her chicken soup and Daddy gave me a lot of new books to read. We had a dinner party for my uncle's birthday, and you know how much fun it is when the whole family gets together."

"They definitely know how to throw down." Cody took another sip and smiled this time. "How did they like Randy?"

She focused her gaze on her tea again. "They liked him fine. It was like they'd known him forever." Despite her constant queasiness, she hadn't failed to notice her entire family's acceptance of Randy. Her aunts had fawned over him, marveling at his appetite, and his physique when he was in the next room. Her uncles had been a little formal at first, but after the second round of beers outside as they grouped around the grill he was practically one of them. Vanessa had found it beyond strange that the same men who had all but chased off former boyfriends with their shotguns had spent most of the evening laughing and clapping the man on the back. "Mama sent you some cookies. They're in my bag in the dressing room."

"Can we go get them now?" he requested. He took another sip of tea. Shaking his head, he dumped it in the trash. Then, lowering his voice, he murmured, "I really want to talk to you alone."

She nodded and, carrying her cup of tea, headed out of Catering. Cody chattered randomly as they walked down the halls. Once in the small space that had been set aside for her and Randy's use, he closed the door and dropped on the couch.

"I miss you," he announced.

Vanessa set her tea down and opened her bag. Finding the container that was filled with a variety of cookies, she pulled it out and turned to face Cody. "I miss you, too," she admitted. He smiled, patting the cushion next to him, and she moved to sit down. The aroma of cookies assailed her senses as he popped open the container.

"I don't like fighting with you, Nessa. The past few days have been hell. So I came to a decision." Cody paused, peering at the array of cookies. Obviously taking great care to choose the perfect one, he poised his hand over the container. "What's this?"

"Pecan and black walnuts. They melt in your mouth." Vanessa smiled at the look of glee on his face as he plucked out a cookie to taste. Cody would always become a little boy when it came to sweets. And after visiting her family one weekend last summer, he had announced her mother the best baker in the world. Ever since, she had made sure to send him her latest creations. She could still recall his enthusiastic late-night call when he'd gotten home near Christmas to find several tins of cookies and treats that had been sent by her mother. She watched as he polished off three cookies. Reaching to brush the crumbs from his chest, she laughed at the soft sigh of delight he released. "What decision have you come to?"

"You know how I feel about the whole Randy thing," he murmured. He placed the cover on the container before draping an arm around her shoulders. Before she could speak, he kissed the top of her head. "I decided that I'm just going to... Well, not ignore it, because I can never do that. I guess what I'm saying is that I'll always be here for you. I want to be able to text you at two in the morning because I can't sleep and know you'll text back until I fall asleep. I want you to be able to talk to me about what's bothering you. So... I'll keep my opinions to myself. Unless you ask."

"Oh, Codes," she sighed, slipping her arms around him for a squeeze. "You are so different from the asshole you pretend to be on camera. And I love you for it." She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You don't know how much that means to me. I started so many messages to you while at my parents' and hated having to cancel them because we weren't speaking. It was hell, like you said."

"So we're cool?" he asked.

"We're cool," she promised.

"You're not pregnant, are you?"

The question was so sudden she reared back, nearly falling from the couch. "What? Pregnant? Are you crazy?" She forced a laugh.

"You're pale, you've been drinking tea – which you never do unless your stomach's bothering you – and when I came by earlier to talk to you I could hear you puking. Are you?"

"I'm not pregnant," she assured. "And before you ask, I took at least four home tests while at home. They were all negative. Besides, I'm not even late."

"Late for what – oh, gross," he groaned, catching her meaning. "I don't want to hear about that."

"You're so weird. You don't mind hearing details of busted body parts, bloody noses and split lips while eating dinner, but God forbid a woman mentions her-"

"Don't say the word," he breathed in horror.

"Okay, okay. Trust me when I say I'm not pregnant... Period." She smirked when he made a face. "And trust me when I say that I take precautions, because being pregnant now would really mess up my...flow."

"I get it, I get it." Cody playfully shoved her shoulder when she laughed. "So if it's not a bun in your oven, what is it?"

"It's just a bug. If it doesn't go away in the next day or so, I'll go see the tour doctor."

"Promise?"

"Promise," she echoed, hooking her pinkie through his.

"If you don't go see the doctor first thing in the morning, I'm dragging your ass out of bed to go see him," he warned. "And you won't be able to stop me."

"That's because the only time you can overtake my ass is when I'm sick," she snorted.

* * *

><p><em>At hotel gym. Gonna run. Love you.<em>

Vanessa watched the tiny icon next to the message swirl before a check mark took its place. She waited for a reply, using the time to stretch. After two days of spending most of her time in bed, she had awakened that morning feeling better than ever. The doctor had diagnosed her with a stomach infection and the round of medications wasn't over yet, but the difference was remarkable. Though she had been sure she wasn't pregnant, having it confirmed by the doctor had been a relief.

Her phone began to vibrate and she brought up the new message, smiling at the words. _Don't push yourself. Take it easy today. Love you._

Considering she had told him the doctor had advised against sex until the infection was gone, Randy had been in a relatively good mood. He had taken it upon himself to take care of her, pulling out of two appearances that first day she had been unable to crawl out of bed. He had plied her with room service chicken soup, herbal tea, and ginger ale. He had made a trip to a nearby store and had come back with a pile of Disney animated movies after she'd mentioned that whenever she was sick as a child she stayed in bed and watched those classics. And she had fallen asleep with his arms around her, his lips on her shoulder. His voice murmuring that she would be alright.

Tossing her phone into her bag, she got onto the treadmill and began a slow jog to warm herself up. Earphones in place, she switched on her iPod, bringing up the playlist of upbeat songs that helped her keep a decent pace. Easing into a higher speed, she turned her gaze to the TV mounted on the wall in the corner. She couldn't hear it, but upon seeing that it was tuned to MTV she found herself grateful. Looking straight ahead, she watched her reflection in the wall of mirrors.

She saw someone entering the gym, but didn't pay attention. She barely saw the figure, eyes dropping to the controls in front of her to raise her speed. When she raised her head, though, her eyes locked with a pair in the mirror. Stumbling on the treadmill, she yanked on the stop cord before catching herself on the handles to keep from falling.

"I'm sorry," he said, approaching from behind. She watched him in the mirror, hands gripping the bars until her knuckles ached. "Are you alright, love?"

"Yes," she murmured, heart hammering in her chest. She knew the rapid heart rate wasn't due to her near tumble. "You just startled me."

He was next to her now and she turned to look at him. His hand covered hers and she felt a now-familiar thrill make its way down her back. "Are you sure?"

"I'm fine," she promised, not pulling her hand away. It seemed months had passed since she'd last seen him. She had spotted him at the arena the night of her flight home, but he hadn't approached. Probably because Randy's hand had been firm on her arm the entire time.

"I heard you were sick. Feeling better?"

"Yes, thank you." She hated the stiffness between them. The recent weeks may have never happened. When she looked into his eyes, though, she saw the warmth there.

"You look tired, love," he murmured, fingers sweeping over hers. Then, glancing away, he sighed, "I waited for you."

"You – oh," she whispered, recalling their last meeting. His promise that he would be on the roof if she went up for a cigarette. Memories of that night rushed into her brain and she shivered, drawing her hand away to shut off her iPod. "I'm sorry."

"I take it you changed your mind about talking."

Was that hurt in his voice? She bit her lip, winding the cord of her earphones around the iPod before stepping off the treadmill. Her legs were shaky and she knew she would pay for abruptly ending her run. "I... I couldn't get away."

When she reached past him to get her bag from the chair, he gently caught her wrist in his palm. He didn't speak, but his eyes spoke volumes as his thumb brushed over the faint remnants of bruising. When she pulled free he let her go, stepping aside so she could reach her things.

"I should go," she decided, not liking the stiffness that existed between them now.

"Our talk will never happen, then?" he asked.

She stared at his sneakers. "Stu-"

"Hey, you're early! I was thinking we could – Oh. Hey, Nessa."

She jerked her head up in surprise when Cody entered the gym. Would the entire roster come through the doors one at a time? "Hey, Codes," she greeted softly.

He looked from her to Wade and back again. His head tilted to one side, the unspoken question burning the air between them. She returned the gesture, a question of her own causing her eyes to narrow. He smiled. "We're teaming up at the taping, remember? I could have sworn I told you..."

Maybe he had. When he'd dropped in her room over the past two days he'd talked incessantly, but she had been too out of it to pay much attention. "Right. Sorry. I'll let you two get to...whatever you're going to do."

"Did I interrupt something?" Cody held his hands up when both she and Wade gave him a glare. "Right. I... I need to go grab a towel. I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Subtle," she muttered under her breath as he backed out of the gym.

"He worries about you, Vanessa."

"He doesn't need to."

"But he does, and there's nothing you can do about it."

"I can take care of myself." As soon as the words left her mouth she regretted them, especially when she felt his eyes sweep down to her wrists. "I'm not getting into this with you right now, Stu."

"When?" he challenged. She hesitated, avoiding his eyes. "When, Vanessa? When he's upset or hurt you again and you need someone to turn to? I admire you, but I don't want to be your friend. You have enough of them. What I want is something I can't have until you're no longer with him."

"Are you saying that I only want to be around you when things are going wrong with Randy?"

"I'm telling you how it appears to me. I'm many things, Vanessa, but a doormat is not one of them. If all you want is someone that will listen to your worries, you can look somewhere else. Because after our evening together, I can tell you that I will never be satisfied having you as a platonic friend." He stepped closer and before she could back away his hand cupped her cheek.

She felt her heart flutter at the softness of his touch. One finger toyed with the lock of hair that never stayed where she wanted it to. Her lips parted as his thumb swept over her skin and she stared up at him. "Please don't do this," she whispered, fearing Cody would walk in at any moment.

"You didn't mind the other night," he murmured.

Her eyes closed and the memory swept over her like the low-tide waves that lapped at her feet at the beach. It was the only thing about that night that she hadn't told anyone. The struggle in his eyes as they'd stood at the elevator. The hand going through his hair as he looked down the hall. The feel of his lips, soft at first but growing more determined when she hadn't pulled away. The overwhelming purity of the moment had made her feel like a princess, and in that moment she had understood the main reason she was so drawn to him. His charm, yes, his sense of humor, and many little things, but the largest draw of all was that he treated her like a lady.

"I won't rush you," he sighed, lightly tugging her hair before curling it around his finger. "Just know that you've someone waiting for you, and that if you need help, I'm here."

Vanessa released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding as his fingers caressed her cheek once more before he pulled away. Opening her eyes, she locked gazes with him for a long moment. Frozen to the spot, it was all she could do to remember to breathe. From the open doorway came the sound of Cody's humming. His not-so-subtle sign that he was on his way back. Jarred, she could only nod at Wade before heading out of the room.

Cody caught her as she exited, drawing her a few feet away from the door. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," she lied.

"Nothing my pale white ass. There's something going on between you, isn't there?"

Frustrated, she shook her arm free of his grasp. "No, there isn't. Do you want to know why? Because he's a gentleman. Because he doesn't push his nose in where it doesn't belong and, dammit, he has the decency to not push me either way." She drew in a deep breath, releasing it in a rush when she saw the look of confusion on Cody's face. "Are you busy this afternoon?" When he shook his head, she felt a surge of relief. "Meet me in the ring about three thirty, okay? I need a good workout. And... We can talk about everything then."

**A/N: Thanks for reading! An extra special thank-you to xj0j0x for your encouragement and general awesomeness. Menaji, Le Pleaide, Blackhat – Thank you! Hope you enjoyed. :)**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

Vanessa groaned in pain as she landed on the canvas, rolling her eyes when Cody threw his arms up in victory. "Go to hell," she muttered as she took his extended hand. Her back screamed in protest when she sat up.

"Only if you join me," he promised. Giving her hand a squeeze, he let go when it was obvious she wouldn't be getting to her feet. He grabbed one of the towels from the top rope and tossed it to her before flopping down next to her. "Okay," he said after a moment, laying back to stare up at the ceiling. "What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know," she sighed. She grit her teeth as his hand moved over her back, fingers finding the tender spot at the base of her neck where she had hit the turnbuckle at an odd ankle. "I didn't even give the guy a second thought until we were thrown together in a storyline. Now..." She sighed again, this time wistful. Slowly getting to her feet, she reached to rub at her neck. Time spent with a heating pad and some Tylenol were in her future.

"Now you're interested, but you're with..." Cody gestured with one hand. "And you can't exactly get away right now. Well, you could, but you can't."

She hated the way he worded it. She would much rather he had come right out and said she was trapped for the time being. Even as she thought about it, she heard her phone beginning to buzz. Sliding out of the ring, she grabbed it off the announcers' table just as the screen flashed that she had missed a call. She didn't have to look to see who it was. Bringing up a blank message, she composed a few sentences, explaining that she was finishing up and would be at the dressing room shortly.

"Did talking it out even help?" Cody asked as he hopped off the apron.

"Yes and no." Vanessa gave a one-shouldered shrug as she mopped perspiration from her face. "I feel better getting it all out," she explained, painfully aware of the facts she had left out when telling Cody what was going on. There were some things she would never be able to tell him. The shame she felt when remembering actions that had occurred between her and Randy was enough. She didn't need her friend's judgment as well. So she locked those secrets up tight, praying he wouldn't probe further. Adjusting the sweatbands on her wrists, she met his gaze and offered a small smile. "Thanks for listening and not telling me what you think I should do."

"I know better now." He tugged at her ponytail before draping his towel around his neck. "I just want you to be happy, Nessa."

"I am," she promised. Too quickly. She bit her lip and looked away when an eyebrow rose. The silent question hung in the air between them. Clearing her throat, she picked up her phone and bottled water. "I'm going to take some Tylenol, get a shower and put the heating pad on my neck." Leaning up on her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Thanks for the workout, Codes."

"Anytime. C'mon, I'll walk you back."

They were at the top of the ramp when Vanessa spotted Teddy Long. The General Manager's duties off-air were not quite as detailed as on-camera, and despite the feuds and story lines, he had a good deal of respect from every member of the roster. "Hi," she greeted, stepping to the side so he could continue on his way.

She was surprised when he said her name and headed straight for her. "I've been looking for you," he said, giving Cody a nod in greeting.

"Me?" Vanessa pointed to herself, wondering if perhaps he had suffered a head injury. None of the higher-ups ever looked for her.

"Nat's injury last night was worse than thought." Teddy looked down at the phone in his hand. "It's been decided that you'll take her place in the match against AJ at the taping Tuesday."

Vanessa's jaw dropped. "Are you kidding?" she questioned. "Me? You know you're talking to Vanessa Tyler, right?"

Teddy chuckled. "Trust me, I know. HQ is insisting that you do it. I had all the match info forwarded to you."

"Oh my God." Vanessa blinked. She hadn't been in the ring, except at Randy's side, in months. "Is Nat okay?" she asked belatedly, feeling bad for not asking earlier. "She won't be out long, will she?"

"Broken ankle. Six weeks, give or take." Teddy smiled and patted her shoulder. "Good thing you've had Cody keeping you in shape. I'll see you later."

Vanessa felt like squealing her excitement from the top of the building. Grabbing Cody's arm, she bounced up and down, her aching spine forgotten. "Codes!" she squealed, not quieting herself when several crew members looked at her in confusion. "I've got a match! Against AJ! Tuesday!"

"I heard!" Cody laughed as she let go of his arm, spinning in a circle.

"I don't care if I am just jobbing the match. I get to freaking work! Finally!" Vanessa spun again, yelping in surprise when she slammed into a wall of solid muscle. Taking a step back, she looked up at Randy. Excitement still overflowing, she bounced up repeatedly to press several kisses to his lips. "Did you hear, babe? Nat broke her ankle – I need to send her flowers – and I'm taking her place Tuesday!" She felt his hands on her waist and leaned up, expecting a congratulatory kiss. The brush of his lips over hers was paltry in comparison to her anticipation, but she didn't let it phase her. "I'm so excited! Let's go out and celebrate tonight, okay? I'm buying. You're coming too, Codes!" Mind racing almost as fast as her heart, she jumped up for another kiss before skipping towards the dressing room.

Cody chuckled as he watched her departure, slowly turning his attention back to Randy. "You'd think they just told her she's going to be the new Divas champion." Pulling the towel from around his neck, he mopped a few errant drops of perspiration from his forehead before tossing it over his shoulder. "You better make sure she takes a hot bath before the show tonight. She took a misstep in the ring when we were sparring and slammed into the turnbuckle. I don't think it's serious, but better safe than... What's wrong?" he asked when Randy looked at him blankly.

"Nothing," Randy muttered. "See you later."

Cody sighed as the man he had practically grown up with turned and headed after Vanessa. "It won't kill you to at least pretend to be happy for her," he called after him. Randy stopped, shoulders rising and falling with a deep breath, then continued on his way.

* * *

><p>"I'm slated to win," Vanessa announced when the dressing room door opened. Not looking up from her laptop, she read over the email again, biting her lip to keep from squealing when she saw – again – that the email had come directly from Stephanie. Vince may have been in charge, but Stephanie's word was law. Clapping her hands, she closed her email and pushed the laptop aside. "They're thinking of pushing me. Interest in me has grown since the new storyline and they want to see how the reaction is when I win before going further. AJ already texted me; she's excited, too. We've been given three minutes, do you know how big that is? She wants to start going over match ideas tomorrow when we reach Phoenix." Unlacing her boots, she wriggled her toes as she slipped out of her ring gear, leaving it in a pile next to the couch. Finally, she looked to her boyfriend. "Why so quiet, babe?"<p>

"Who can get a word in?" he returned with a smile, kicking the door shut as he entered the room. "Are you excited?"

"Just a little," she said airily, holding her thumb and forefinger less than half an inch apart. "I need a shower."

Randy nodded, watching her move to the bathroom. She squeaked, turning to grab her toiletry bag from the couch. Seeing his smile had faded, she stopped and looked at him warily.

"Babe," she murmured, her elevated spirits taking a nosedive when she saw his lips pull into a small frown. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong? Why would anything be wrong? I'm just wondering why they chose you."

Her spirits crashed to the Earth's core. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. Shivering, she reached for the t-shirt she had left on the arm of the couch. She pulled in on, one hand sliding up to free her hair from its ponytail.

"You've been doing good just staying by my side, haven't you? Why do they want to work you all of a sudden?"

"Maybe they think I'm good?" she returned. Ignoring all the hurt that had happened between them, she scowled. Couldn't he be the slightest bit happy for her? "It's just one match, Randy. For all I know, there won't be a good reaction and they'll drop me. Like they have before," she murmured. Recalling the lineup of matches that had once been planned for her, only to be dropped from the cards shortly after her first stint as Randy's valet, she frowned. Cody's words suddenly came to mind.

__Ask him why you don't get matches anymore.__

"Randy," she began, surging forward to stand in front of him. "I need to ask you something. And I want the God's-honest truth." Taking a deep breath, she curled her fingers in the hem of his white t-shirt. "Why did I stop getting matches months ago? They were talking about pushing me for the championship, and then all of a sudden I was a glorified hand-holder. Why?"

He sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "Babe, don't start that now."

"I want to know. Was it you? Did you tell them to take me off the card?"

"I wanted to keep you safe."

"Safe? From what? The Divas matches barely last two minutes. Unless one of the girls drops an anvil on me, the worst that could happen was a broken nail. Why, Randy? You told me then that you preferred not seeing me in the outfits, but I've never dressed as skimpy as some of the girls do." Her fingers curled tighter when he started to back away. "Please, babe, tell me."

"I don't want you out there because, dammit, I got sick of watching men drool over you, okay?" he finally ground out. "You'd prance out there in your shorts and slutty top and I had to listen to the guys turn into hormonal kids. About how you had an ass that would make the Pope take a second look. And how they could tell your tits are real just from the way they bounced. It was disgusting. I didn't want to hear that shit about my woman. So I put a stop to it."

"First of all, the guys say that shit about all the girls around here. Second of all, I've heard you say shit like that about the other girls. Double standard much?" she scoffed, releasing his shirt and backing away. "Why didn't you just hit me with a club and drag me back to your cave? Did you think I actually cared – or care now – what they said about me? I've wanted to do this since I was a kid, Randy. Ever since I first saw a WWE house show years ago and fell in love with every aspect. I worked my ass off to get into this company. And all because you're a jealous Neanderthal I can't do it?"

"And what if some fan decides he wants you for himself, huh? What if you're leaving a house show, going to your car, and he's there? What if he isn't happy with a smile and a picture? What would you do then?"

"That's kind of a moot point, considering you barely let me out of your sight long enough to take a piss," she muttered. Snatching up her toiletry bag, she turned to the bathroom again. "Thanks a lot, babe."

"How do you expect to start a family if you're getting thrown around a ring?" he asked, right behind her. His hand caught the bathroom door before she could close it and she backed further into the room.

"What family?" she asked in confusion.

"The kids we want. How are we going to have them if you do this shit?"

"When did we decide that we were going to start a family?" she asked, struggling to recall the conversation. Unless he had brought the topic up when she had been as sick as a dog, it had never happened. Clutching her toiletry bag to her chest, she drew in a deep breath. "Randy... Babe... I'm not ready for kids yet."

"All women are ready for kids," he argued gently, bracing his hands on the sink.

"I'm not," she insisted. "I've got years before I need to think about that. I want to finish school, I want to see the world. I want to live a little." __I don't want to bring a child into this__, she thought, clamping her mouth shut. "I want to get married before I even think of trying for a baby."

"And do you have that event penciled in yet?" he scorned. "Or do I just need to sit on my hands until you decide you're ready? Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't I just fuck off and let you_ live a little_ and come back in a few years?"

"Randy—"

"Just take your shower." He pushed away from the sink.

She could feel the tension in his body, could see every muscle bunched with frustration. "Babe," she whispered. "Something like this shouldn't be decided by me or by you," she explained tentatively. "It should be a choice we make together." He remained silent, back to her, and she tried a different tack. Anything to keep him from exploding. She would do anything. "Besides..." she trailed, setting down her back and taking a step forward. Reaching for him, she slid her hands up his back as she stepped closer. "Do you really want to share me with someone else already?" She kissed his back, arms sliding around him. "I'm not one hundred percent sure, but I'd almost guarantee that a baby puts a damper on random quickies at all hours of the day and night."

One hand raised to cover hers, which rested over his heart. A small success.

"And I've seen enough pictures of my mother when she was pregnant with me to know that I'm going to be a hideous blob when I get pregnant," she continued, slowly exhaling when she felt him begin to relax. He shook his head, a small chuckle rumbling in his throat. "That ass you love so much is going to get all big and start to sag... And don't get me started on my boobs," she sighed dramatically. "Sagsville, USA."

He chuckled again, this time louder. "I saw pictures of your mom before she had you, babe. No offense, but her ass was sagging already."

"I'm not saying never," she promised, breathing a sigh of relief when he squeezed her hand. Crisis averted. He was turning to face her now, arm sliding around her to draw her close. I'm saying never.

"What if it happens soon, though?"

__Dear God, please, no___. _"If it happens, it's meant to be," she murmured, closing her eyes and pressing her face against his t-shirt so he wouldn't catch onto her desperation that it never happen. "Okay?" She heard his mumbled agreement. Making a mental note to look into a stronger birth control pill, she slipped out of his embrace. "I really need a shower."

"I'll get the heating pad ready for your neck."

* * *

><p>Naturally high from her match, the win, and general elation, Vanessa beamed as she entered the backstage area. A camera was aimed on her so she kept the bounce in her step to a minimum. Heading straight for the tall man waiting nearby, she toned her smile down to a pleased smirk. The last-minute lineup change had spurred a last-minute change in the storyline. Wade had been positively brilliant in his earlier backstage segment with Teddy, insisting the General Manager give her Natalya's place in the match against AJ. When asked why he cared so much, he had only grinned. Just as he was grinning now.<p>

"You are brilliant," he said, chucking her on the chin. "That was a good match, love."

"Thanks to you." She slid her hands to her hips. "How did you talk Teddy into letting me do that?"

"You're helping me. It's only fair that I should help you."

Did the camera have to be so close? She could have sworn she could hear the electronic buzz of it as it loomed close to her head. Stepping closer to Wade, she brought one hand to rest on his chest. "Just don't go around telling people that I'm helping you. That stays between me and you, Barrett."

"So does this," he returned.

The last time they had kissed on-air she hadn't been close enough to the crowd to hear the reaction. This time, though, she heard the loud sounds of displeasure. She could barely pay attention, though, taken aback at the underlying tenderness of Wade's kiss. She was supposed to pull away, smile, and walk off. Instead, she sank into the kiss for a moment, fingers curling in the front of his t-shirt when his tongue swept over her lips. Hear pounding, she reluctantly broke the kiss. Licking her lips, which pulled into a pleased smile on their own, she patted his cheek before sauntering away.

When she rounded the corner, she stopped and slumped against the wall. Grateful for the deserted hallway, she ran shaking fingers through her hair, drawing in several deep breaths in hopes of calming her racing heart. She heard Stephen's entrance music start, followed immediately by roars of approval from the audience. Knowing that she was supposed to be absent from Randy's side when he entered, she straightened, peeking around the corner in time to see Randy approaching the gorilla. She ducked away, hurrying to the dressing room. She turned a corner and gasped when she found herself face-to-chest with Wade.

"Careful, love," he murmured.

"Sorry, I was in a hurry." She took a step back smiled.

"I won't keep you, then. Excellent match, by the way. Probably the first time I've watched a Divas match all the way through."

"Thank you." She gathered her loose hair at the base of her neck. "I'm hoping it leads to more matches."

"If it doesn't, the bookers are bloody idiots." He glanced around before leaning to press a kiss to the center of her forehead.

"A bunch of us are going out after the show," she announced when he straightened. Sweeping a hand through her hair, she lightly brushed her thumb over the spot of skin he had kissed. As though she could sear the tender touch into her memory. "You're more than welcome to join us."

"I don't think that would be a good idea, love. Much as I'd like to see what a few drinks do to you, I'm sure some wouldn't want me around."

"He's not coming," she whispered. "He has a morning show interview at six in Dallas, so he's leaving right after the show. I'm riding with Cody." She decided he didn't need to know how much begging and pleading it had taken for Randy to agree to that plan. "Please come. It'll be fun."

"What are you playing at, Vanessa?" he asked, tone careful as he regarded her.

"I'm not playing anything. I just had my first match in six months. I just won my first match in almost a year. Cody, Ted, AJ, Stephen and I are going out to celebrate. I would like for you to join us. I'm not going to get you drunk and seduce you."_ _Much as I'd like to___. _She blushed at the thought and immediately chastised herself. She was already playing with fire. She refused to walk right into the flames. "If you don't want to, Stu, it's fine-"

"You certainly become a spitfire when you feel you're being accused," he chuckled. She scowled up at him, but the expression didn't stick as his amusement caused his eyes to glow. And she knew in that moment that it would be impossible to ever stay angry with him. "I'll come along, love."

"I'll see you later, then. I need to run; I want to shower now so I can watch the tag team match." Smiling, she gave him a thumbs up. "Have fun slaughtering Kofi and Ron."

**A/N: Good to see that y'all are as glad as I am that Vanessa's not pregnant. Unending thanks to xj0j0x. A tip of the hat to Blackhat, who had me rolling with "you could slice it and make a nice sandwich." Seriously, that was awesome! I hope everyone that reads this is enjoying it. And, oops, happy belated St. Patrick's Day! I'm still wearing green. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

The table of six in the back corner of the bar exploded with laughter, drawing more than a few curious glances from other patrons. A weary waitress, tray laden with drinks, slipped around people and greeted the laughing group with a tired smile as she passed the drinks out. If she recognized any of them she didn't let on, merely tucking a lock of blonde hair behind one ear as she headed away.

Seated between Stephen and Cody in the corner of the booth, Vanessa felt tears stream down her face. She wiped them away with a napkin, holding her frosted mug aloft. "Finish the story," she insisted, nudging Cody.

Cody grinned, preening when all eyes turned to him again. "We're on the elevator," he said, starting where he had left off when the waitress appeared a few moments before, "I mean, it's almost set in stone that sex is going to happen, right? Then the doors open and this sonofabitch is standing there."

Ted reached around AJ to punch Cody's shoulder. "Can't wait to tell Mom you called her a bitch," he muttered with a good-natured grin.

"All of a sudden, the girl starts cooing at him. Literally. It was all 'I think you're __such__ a good wrestler' and 'I always wanted to meet you!'" Cody snorted, leaning back to take a sip of his drink. "I'm standing there, my dick pressed against my zipper and the next thing I know she's going off to look at the stars with Ted." He scowled as the table exploded with laughter again. "Go ahead, have your laughs. Worst night of my life!"

"Mine too," Ted commiserated. "She ended up screaming Randy's name."

There was a pause after his words, and Vanessa slammed her mug down as everyone began to laugh again. She was already well on her way to a good buzz from the alcohol and her laughter joined the others'. Ribbing between Ted and Cody continued, all of it good-natured and fun. Completely relaxed in the company of her friends, she leaned back, pulling one leg beneath her.

"How about you, Nessa?" Cody asked, slouching down and propping his head on her shoulder. "What was your worst night with a guy?"

"You know I don't kiss and tell," she answered, unable to keep from looking at Wade. Their eyes met across the table and she wet her lips when her heart forgot its normal rhythm.

"A lady never does," Stephen put in, large arm draping across her shoulders. Vanessa giggled when he made a show of pushing Cody away.

"Why is that, anyway?" AJ suddenly inquired. "Why is it okay for guys to go around talking about all the sex they've had – or haven't had, in Cody's case – but if a woman does it she's suddenly a giant slut?"

"Now you've started something," Cody told Stephen with a groan. "Here comes the women's lib." He turned to AJ. "Because it just is."

"A guy doesn't want to know how many memories he has to compete with when he gets with someone," Ted added.

"And women do?" AJ challenged.

"Historically, men have been expected to have more experience," Wade put in, leaning his elbows on the table and meeting AJ's eyes. "Women were expected to be pure and innocent. They were supposed to wait until marriage to learn about sex, and even then, in aristocratic circles, they only learned to do their duty and give their husband an heir. It's remained social convention."

"What mainstream history doesn't teach is that as far back as ancient times women did step out of that norm," Vanessa interjected. "Women with high social standing saw nothing wrong with sleeping with their husbands' enemies to bring on peace, or with their husbands' peers to ensure a better position. The days of arranged marriages were also rampant with infidelity. Your aristocratic ladies would provide the required heir, then start keeping lovers. The only difference between their indiscretions and their husbands' was that women knew how to keep it quiet."

"Some didn't," Wade informed. Obviously interested in the debate, he pushed his beer aside. "There have been notable women in history who flaunted their lovers, even women who bore children by their lovers and passed them off as the legal heir to their husbands' fortunes."

"And what of the men that fathered those illegitimate children?" she inquired. "They weren't about to cast shame on the family name, so they didn't set aside provisions for them. Had the women admitted to her blonde husband that their newborn babe with red hair was not his, they would have been ostracized, and the redheaded child would have been a social pariah. They had no choice."

"I'd like to know why yeh keep calling the child a redhead," Stephen muttered, giving her a squeeze. "I haven't been dallying with no married ladies."

"That we know of," Wade reminded with a grin before turning his attention to Vanessa. "So you're saying, love, that you see nothing wrong with the women of the past taking on lovers?"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying," she answered after a moment of thought. "Not in every case, but definitely the women who were forced into arranged marriages. I know there were some that resulted in love, but the majority were mere business arrangements. Even in this day and age, with liberation and supposed equality, a lot of women are mere pawns to powerful men. I don't blame them, at all."

"And you would do the same?" he asked.

"No, I wouldn't, as contradictory as it may sound. What's right for someone else is not right for me. When I marry, it will be until death we do part. If I should become unhappy, I hope that I am smart enough to address whatever problems there may be. And I would make sure to marry someone smart enough to do the same." Pausing for a breath, she took a sip of her beer. "Falling into bed with another man – or woman – isn't the answer to unhappiness in marriage. It only adds to the larger issues, whatever they may be."

"What if the problems can't be fixed?" Cody questioned, his words punctuated by a sharp whistle for the waitress as he finished his drink. "What if he's cheated on you? Or you find out he's a serial killer? Or that he lied to you from the start? Would you start looking around?"

"Oh, well, if he cheats on me, all bets are off. I wouldn't have to start looking around, except for a place to hide his body." Vanessa was relieved when her statement brought another round of laughter, easing the tension their conversation had created. Looking up when the waitress appeared, she smiled. "Could I get a bottle of water, please?" she requested. The waitress nodded and headed away. Vanessa turned to Stephen. "Could you let me out? I need a cigarette." Then, turning to Cody, she tugged at his sleeve. "I need my cigarettes."

"Why didn't you bring a purse?" Cody groaned, leaning to one side so he could reach into the pocket of his jeans.

"Because I didn't feel like lugging it around all night. And because I have you to carry my stuff." Slipping a kiss to his cheek as he handed the pack over, she slid out of the booth, smiling up at Stephen when he caught her hand to help her. "Thanks," she murmured. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

She headed for the exit, a little lightheaded. Grateful she had dressed casually for the night, she pushed open the door and inhaled the cool night air, sliding along the building until she reached the corner. Seeing others had come out for a smoke as well, she nodded to them in the way that all smokers greeted each other. It was a long-held camaraderie, especially nowadays, when smoking was looked upon with scorn. Leaning against the building, she fished her lighter out of her jeans and lit up a cigarette, watching the smoke float heavenward.

She wasn't aware of someone standing next to her until she felt an arm brush against hers. Looking over, she smiled upon seeing Wade. "Hi," she greeted softly, turning to face him. Keeping one shoulder against the building, she flicked her ashes to the sidewalk. "What are you doing out here?"

"I didn't want you to be out here alone." His gaze moved to the group of men a few feet away.

"They're out here for nicotine. Trust me, they're not looking for an easy score," she promised.

"Still. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to you."

She smiled again, sensing truth in his words. "You're such a Good Guy Greg," she murmured, giggling at the confusion on his face. "You know? That internet meme?"

"What the hell are you talking about, love?"

"Come on, don't you know? Good Guy Greg... Friends Forever Alone. Likes Rebecca Black's video. Borrows five dollars and pays you back the same day." She paused, looking for a spark of recognition. "Don't you ever visit 9gag? Memebase? Memestasche?"

"I find myself a little too busy to do much on the internet," he answered, still looking confused. "I can't find the time for that sort of thing."

"One doesn't simply make time for the internet," she sighed, groaning when he merely stared at her. "Sorry. __Lord of the Rings__ reference. Another meme. I have a few sites that I visit daily. They make me giggle, or give me a laugh. Sometimes on the bus it's hard to sleep, so I sit on the couch and look at my funnies."

"When I can't sleep, I read."

"What do you like to read?" she asked, trying to recall the last time she had seen Randy with a book. __Don't make comparisons, don't make comparisons, for God's sake, you're making comparisons___. _Other than the occasional magazine to pass the time on a plane or a Stephen King book, it was rare she saw him reading at all.

"Non-fiction. History. Biographies mostly." He leaned back when she raised her cigarette for a final puff. When she dropped it to the pavement he stamped it out. Though she was finished, neither made a move to go back inside. "How about you?"

"I'll read pretty much anything. My Kindle died the other day so I'm reading whatever I can find. I'm working my way through Jane Austen now. The other day I read a book about the Lizzie Borden case." Out the corner of her eye she saw the other smokers heading back into the building. "I'm glad you came tonight, Stu. It's been a great night."

"Are you saying it's almost over?"

She tilted her head back, looking up at him. Smiling, she reached to pat his arm, fingers spreading over his bicep. She could feel the warmth of his skin through the long-sleeved shirt he wore and though she knew it was wrong, she moved closer to him. "It's... What time is it?"

"One thirty, give or take."

She licked her lips when his hand rested on her hip. Whether to hold her close or keep her upright, she didn't know. All she knew was that she liked the contact. "Why didn't you make me stay that night?"

"What are you talking about, love?"

"That night on the roof. We didn't hardly talk and then I got up to leave and..." She pushed herself away from the building so she was no longer leaning to one side. Grabbing hold of him when her head swam at the sudden movement, she clutched his shirt in her fingers. "Why didn't you make me stay with you?"

"Because you wanted to leave," he answered softly.

"If I could go back, I'd stay with you," she whispered, stepping closer. She promised herself it was just for the warmth of his body. Just for the gentleness of his embrace.

"Vanessa, love, you're drunk."

"If I was drunk, I wouldn't be able to carry on a conversation. I'm just a little tipsy."

"Fine, you're tipsy. But we're not talking about this tonight."

Damn the man and his honorableness. She nodded, but didn't move away. "I've really fucked up everything, haven't I?" she asked, sighing softly when his hand slid to guide her head to his chest. Able to hear his heartbeat, she smiled, fingers tracing a circle over his chest.

"No, love, you haven't. You do what you think is right." His fingers swept her hair back. "Right now you're just letting the beer do the talking."

"But I'm never right." She knew he was about to argue and lifted her head. "I'm not. And yeah, maybe it's the beer talking, but maybe the beer is right? Maybe I should have stayed with you that night. Maybe I shouldn't have gone back to him – Wait, no, I know I shouldn't have gone back to him. The past month has been hell for me. I almost lost Cody, I found out my parents heard me having sex, I thought I was pregnant, I've had to tiptoe around to keep him from getting mad at me, which never works. And when I should be falling asleep all I can think about is you."

"Vanessa." Wade's tone was firm.

"What?" she groaned, raising her eyes to meet his. "See? I keep fucking things up. I don't get why anyone would be interested in me, especially you. You're smart, funny, good-looking... You've got that whole English accent thing going for you, which trust me, is a panty-dropper. You could have any woman you wanted. That would probably kill me, by the way. If I had to see you with another woman, doing the things I want to – oh," she breathed, covering her mouth when he looked away. "Oh, God. I didn't realize you... See what I mean? Fuck-up again."

"What's it take to shut you up during these ramblings, love?" he whispered.

"And now you want me to shut up. I'm sorry. I struck a nerve. I know it's paltry, but I'm doing the best I can. What with him looming over my shoulder even when he's hours away, and you taking my breath every time I look at you, I'm just-" Vanessa's words halted when he brought her close. Held against him, she struggled to draw in a breath and the oxygen had just barely reached her lungs when his lips met hers. Startled, she laid her hands on his chest. __Push him away, push him away. Or not...__ She could hear the angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. Wade's hands trailed upwards, cupping her cheeks, and the angel on her shoulder caved. Parting her lips beneath his, she gloried in the tenderness of his kiss. It was so different than the kisses they had shared on-camera.

Her back met the side of the building fully and she whined when his hands left her. Before she could break away to voice a complaint, they landed on her hips, drawing her up and forward. His lips slanted over hers, adding an intensity to the kiss that she hadn't anticipated. Heady from the alcohol, but mostly from him, she gave in to the urges she had held back for so long. She ran her hands upwards, cupping the curve of his shoulders. Feeling the strength of his muscles, she released a soft moan. It fueled him on, and she let him take her away, forgetting they were outside a bar in the middle of the night in Phoenix. He whispered her name as he drew the kiss into several sweet pecks. Dazed, she hung onto him, fingers digging into his shoulders to keep him from pulling away.

"Stu," she breathed, letting her head fall back against the building. She winced at the thudding noise of her skull meeting the painted wood siding, slowly loosening her fingers when it became apparent he wasn't going to move. Arching her back when his thumbs brushed along the waistband of her jeans, she slid one leg over his hip.

"Do you really want this?" he asked. It was barely a whisper, but she heard him clearly despite the fact his lips had moved to her neck.

"Yes," she hissed, frowning when he raised his head. "Please-"

"I'll only give you one chance to change your mind, love." His tongue ran over his bottom lip as their eyes met.

She realized suddenly that she had wanted this all along. She knew she should have felt bad for wanting it, but alcohol had loosened her inhibitions. It was wrong, but it felt so right she knew she wouldn't be able to walk away. "I want this, Stu," she assured. Rubbing the back of his neck, she leaned forward to meet his lips again.

"And tomorrow?" he asked, breathless, when they parted.

"What about it?" Her stomach twisted suddenly and she was grateful her eyes were closed so he wouldn't see her worry when Randy's face came to mind. She would regret nothing, of that she was certain. Especially when she felt no semblance of guilt.

"Will you regret this?"

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Meeting his, she gave a shake of her head. "No."

* * *

><p>"Do you think they fell for it?"<p>

Wade smiled at the tentative whisper that came from Vanessa as the elevator crawled upwards. She had barely spoken since leaving the bar. Not that he had really given her a chance. The back of the cab had been conducive to more kisses; the relative darkness had given him enough courage to touch more of her body than he'd dared while at the bar.

"I don't know," he murmured. If any of their group had doubted her sudden headache and his insistence that he take her back to the hotel, they hadn't let on. Cody had given him more than one curious glance, but hadn't argued when Vanessa had crawled into the booth to hug and kiss everyone goodbye.

"If they didn't, they won't say anything." Her breath was warm against his chest as she spoke. Her hands ran over his back, as they had several times that evening.

He would never have thought such a thing would be a turn-on. Smoothing her hair from her face, he brushed his thumb over the softness of her cheek. "I'm not worried about them, love." And he wasn't. He had a feeling that Cody would carry any and all of Vanessa's secrets to the grave. Ted had been too far gone to even notice. AJ was probably the closest female friend she had in the company, and would no doubt keep her secrets as well. Stephen had been a good friend of his since he'd joined, and the Irishman had been subjected to many long-winded ramblings from him, all centered on Vanessa.

"Your room," she requested when the elevator finally reached their floor.

He was grateful for her decision; he had no desire to be with her in the room she'd shared with... He refused to think the name. There were already so many dark thoughts hanging over him. __Will she regret this? Will I regret this? Does this mean she's leaving him? Is this just an alcohol-induced romp that will be ignored tomorrow?__ He cursed the thoughts, wishing he could focus only on the fact that, for tonight, she was his.

When the door closed behind him, he made sure to leave the worries in the hall. She turned into him, leaning up for a kiss. He was happy to oblige, groaning softly when she hooked her legs over his. Hands on his shoulders, she pulled herself up his body until her legs were wrapped around his waist. Eyes closing as a shudder of appreciation ran through him, he tangled his fingers in her hair, moving straight to the bed. He heard the thump of her shoes hitting the floor. Growling into her mouth when she wriggled against him, he stepped around his suitcase. She unhooked her legs, falling onto the bed with a giggle. Fully prepared to join her, he grunted when her bare foot pushed against his stomach.

"You've got too many clothes on," she murmured. He raised an eyebrow, gaze moving over her body slowly. When he returned to her face he saw her cheeks flush pink. "Right," she muttered, dropping her foot. With the flexibility only a woman could possess, she flipped over, kneeling on the edge of the bed. A shrug of her shoulders and her jacket slid away. She tossed it aside before reaching for the hem of her long-sleeved shirt.

He felt his breath leave his lungs as she was exposed to him. He'd seen her body, of course, when she was in the ring, but her ring gear was decidedly different from her choice of undergarments. The black bra cupped her breasts, which he longed to do. One strap fell over her shoulder and he couldn't take anymore. Hands framing her face, he nipped at her bottom lip until she moaned. Her fingers danced over his wrists before sliding up, and he felt her unbuttoning his shirt as he moved his lips to her neck. Breathing in her scent, he allowed himself a taste of her skin. He was reluctant to let go of her, but when she tugged hard on his sleeve he pulled his hands away long enough to shake the shirt away.

"Damn," she breathed when his lips ran over her collarbone. He felt her shiver and did it again, one hand sliding to her back. Pushing her hair away, he flicked open the clasp of her bra, nudging the offending garment away. She released a soft laugh, fingers sliding through his hair. "Where did you learn that?"

"Would you believe me if I said school?"

"Had a fling with your teacher?" she returned, her laugh echoing in the room. His lips trailed down her chest as he pulled her bra away completely, and when his tongue traced one nipple her laugh turned into a gurgle, then a gasp.

"She wasn't my type," he murmured, the absurdity of their conversation making it hard to keep from grinning. Guiding her down on the bed, he leaned over her, one finger following an invisible line down her torso. She shivered, fingers tightening in his hair as he traced a circle just above the waistband of her jeans.

"What is your type?" she whispered. It was more a breathy gasp as she arched her back.

"You," he answered, drawing her nipple into his mouth for a tender suckle. He felt her stomach draw inward and swept his fingers into her jeans. A soft whine came from her throat and he grazed her tender flesh with his teeth before moving his lips to her other breast. "Strong. Beautiful. Intelligent. Witty. Charming. Breathtaking." He punctuated each word with a kiss. Pulling his fingers from her jeans, he popped the button open and pushed down the zipper. "Real," he added as his hand cupped her breast.

Her hands fell down, helping him push her jeans over her hips. "They wanted me to get implants."

"They're fucking stupid," he decided. "Don't ever think about doing such a thing."

"But they're so small..."

He raised his head, glancing down long enough to make sure he got her jeans off before meeting her eyes. Trailing his hand up her leg, over her hip and along her side, he rested his palm just beneath her breast. "They're perfect," he insisted, hating the self-doubt that fought the desire clouding her eyes. "What good would more than a handful be?" Her brow furrowed and he dipped his head for a kiss. "The fact that you don't have fake breasts, dyed hair, and God knows whatever else women do to themselves to fit society's idea of beauty is one of the things that drew me to you. You, Vanessa Tyler, are so beautiful, that you take my breath away. Whether you're wearing a dress to stand ringside, or faded jeans and a t-shirt, or your ring gear, you're gorgeous."

Silent, she stared up at him. He saw her blink once, twice, then saw a tear slip from her eyes. "You really mean that," she whispered after a moment.

"If you changed one thing about your appearance..." He paused to think for a moment, then smiled, reaching to brush the tear away. "It would be like someone trying to turn Mona Lisa's hair blonde, or someone deciding that__Nike of Samothrace__ needed a bigger chest. I know you like your art," he murmured, warmed by the smile on her face. "How would you feel if people decided your favorite pieces weren't perfect?"

"I would be pissed as hell, that they wanted to mess with a masterpiece," she answered honestly, fingers sweeping over his cheek in a tender caress.

"To me, you're a masterpiece, love."

Warmed by his words, Vanessa leaned up to catch his lips in a kiss. It wasn't one of passion, though her body shivered with desire each time he touched her. Instead, it was a kiss of tender appreciation. He would never know how wonderful it felt to hear those words. "Make love to me," she whispered, hands coursing down his chest. She hesitated at the waistband of his jeans, sighing with relief when his hand covered hers, helping her. Their foreheads met as their lips parted and she was transfixed by his eyes. "Please," she added. "Show me how it's supposed to be."

His lips crashed into hers and she let him sweep her away. The sheet was cool against her burning skin, his skin was on fire beneath her fingers. She refused to break the kiss, which meant she could only explore his body as best she could with her hands. She memorized each dip and curve she could reach, learning that when she brushed her finger over his hip he shivered. When she traced the length of his spine with the tips of her fingers he pressed closer. And when she flattened her palm over his heart she felt the rapid beating stutter.

His lips were warm velvet over hers, his tongue, whisper-soft, dueling with hers. Hands that she knew were capable of causing damage were gentle on her body, his fingers an erotic tool that plundered between her legs, driving her to distraction. He swallowed her soft cry, holding her waist gently as she tensed beneath him. Light exploded behind her eyelids as his fingers sent her over the edge and she tore her lips from his, a shriek pulling from her chest as the pleasure crashed over her.

"Are you alright?" he whispered moments later. Hand on her thigh, he held it against his hip. His lips moved along her neck, his breath hot against her skin. When she hummed a response he slowly sat up.

The sudden cold when his body left hers made her racing heart seize with panic, but she forced herself to calm down. She watched with heavy-lidded eyes as he bent to retrieve something from his suitcase. Confused, she sat up slightly, her body thrumming, not wanting to be parted from him for too long. Pressing a kiss to his shoulder, she smiled when he muttered a curse. Then, suddenly, his arms were around her again, guiding her back down. She sighed as he settled over her again, tilting her chin to receive his kiss. A crinkle sounded, then his hand was between them and she blamed the beer and orgasm for not figuring out what he had been doing sooner. Her hand weighed a ton, but she dragged it down, grasping his length gently. He groaned in her ear, the hand on her thigh squeezing as she smoothed her fingers from tip to base. She felt him press forward and the tip of him brushed against her, eliciting a soft moan. Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes. She nodded again, this time more certain, and guided him into her. Instantly her hand moved to grasp his hip, her body tightening until she feared she would snap. "God," she gasped when they were fully joined. "Oh, God, Stu..."

"I know," he growled, lips brushing over hers before his head fell to her shoulder. His hands guided her legs around him, the gentle shifting causing them both to shudder. "Vanessa, now."

"Now," she agreed, sliding her hands to his back. Clutching as he worked his hips in slow, rocking movements, she felt another wave of delight building rapidly. She turned her head, lips seeking his. He obliged her, giving her the gentle kiss she craved as he settled over her body.

There were no more words between them. His lips stayed over hers, sharp gasps breaking between them as their bodies moved together. He marveled that they both knew what to do without any sort of direction from the other. Each time her body rolled against his, he shuddered; each time he deepened his thrusts she shivered, her teeth pulling at his lips. With no warning, he increased his pace, hands sliding beneath her shoulders to bring her up against him. Feeling her tighten around him, he gave in to the urges of his body, allowing the ecstasy to take over.

Her soft sighs turned into a sharp scream as her body lurched. He was aware of each minute movement she made, from the way her toes grazed the backs of his thighs to the way her fingernails dragged along his spine. The way she sucked in a breath, releasing it in a pleased sigh that kept his worries at bay. Whispering her name, he collapsed against her, bracing the brunt of his weight on his elbows. When she opened her eyes, there was a pleasure glowing within the turquoise orbs that he had never seen before. The smile pulling at her lips was a new one; one he hoped to see many times in the future.

"Hi," she whispered, trembling fingers sliding over his cheek before smoothing his rumpled hair back.

"Hi," he returned. His thumb wound around the lock of hair that lay against her cheek.

"Has anyone told you how beautiful you are?" she asked, voice still a soft whisper. The doubt showed on his face, for she smiled. "You are, Stu. Especially right now."

He wondered if she was still half-drunk. Or if there had been more than beer in the glasses of liquid she had downed at the bars. "If you say so, love."

"I insist," she murmured, shifting to her side when he moved to lie next to her. Her fingers continued to move through his hair, moving the locks into some order before dropping to his chest, where her palm slid over his heart. "You're one of those masterpieces, too, Stuart."

He knew he shouldn't ask. It would ruin the moment. It would no doubt have her pulling away, leaving him cold and alone. And for the first time in what seemed like forever, he kept his mouth closed.

For now, he would be satisfied with the moment. For now, he would pretend the world around them didn't exist. He would make believe she was his.

For now.

**A/N: I have no clue what happened over the weekend with chapter thirteen. Some people could see it, some couldn't, and I could find no answers to the problem. Hopefully it's all worked out now, though.**

**JohnCenaFan called it. Pinayprincesa, thanks for both your lovely reviews. Babe7878, so very glad you're enjoying the story! EmmettLuver2010, hope you got to read the last chapter. Blackhat, my lips are sealed about Randy's plans, and you called it, too! ;) xj0j0x, you rock so very much and one day you'll get to kiss him! ;)**

**History/Art lesson of the day: Mona Lisa is a popular painting, I'm sure you've heard of it. _Nike of Samothrace_, also known as _Winged Victory of Samothrace_, is an exquisite sculpture dating from 190 B.C. Both pieces are in the Louvre.**

**Thanks for reading! :)  
><strong>


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

Vanessa's first coherent thought in the morning was that she had slept better than she had in a long time. Her second was that she was alone. Keeping her eyes closed, she slid her hand outward, frowning when it met only rumpled bedclothes. Had it been a dream? She turned, inhaling deeply, and smiled at the scent of Wade's cologne clinging to the pillow beneath her head. She allowed herself a moment to inhale again, memorizing the aroma, and slowly opened her eyes.

Definitely alone. She sighed, a frown pulling at her lips. A glance at the clock on the nightstand assured her it was still early, so she settled back on the bed. She couldn't hear the shower running, or the water in the sink. In fact, the room was as silent as a grave. __Why did he leave___? _she wondered, trying to recall all the words that had passed between them since arriving in the room. Had she said something to upset him in those moments before they'd fallen asleep? If she had, she was certain he would have left then. Not that he had a place to go...

Groaning, she sat up, pushing away the sheets that were tangled around her body. She saw that her clothes were still scattered on the floor near the bed. Her phone, lighter and room key were on the nightstand. Obviously his doing, as she couldn't remember seeing her phone since leaving the bar. No notes. No hint of where he had gone, or when – if – he'd be back. Hating the way the thought of him leaving without saying goodbye made her chest hurt, she slid out of the bed and shuffled into the bathroom.

She was on her way out, intent on dressing and heading to her own room, when the door opened. Cursing under her breath, she snatched a t-shirt off the floor and held it to her to conceal her nudity. When she saw him, she felt a rush of relief and released her breath slowly. "You scared me," she laughed, glancing at the two cups of coffee he balanced in one hand.

"Sorry, love." He shut the door, then set the coffees on the dresser. "How long have you been up?"

"Long enough to use the bathroom." She still held the t-shirt in front of her, marveling at her sudden modesty. __Where was that modesty last night?__ The angel on her shoulder taunted. She ignored the voice and looked down to turn the shirt right-side out before slipping it on, watching him empty his pockets. Instead of placing his things on the dresser in some sort of order, he simply tossed them, letting them stay wherever they landed. "How long were you gone?"

He snorted, handing her a cup. "Long enough to get coffee and be subjected to Cody's third degree."

"Codes?" Her eyebrow raised, she took a sip of the coffee. And was pleasantly surprised to learn he had put sugar and cream in, exactly to her liking. "What did he want to know?"

"Pretty much everything." Wade shook his head. "What happened between us, what is going to happen now, what my intentions are..."

"Oh, geez," she groaned. "He's such a-"

"Protective friend," he finished, grabbing his cup and moving to the bed. She followed, settling next to him. "I told him it was none of his business."

"It's not," she agreed.

"Then he recited a monologue about how special you are, how you deserve to be treated like a queen, how any man lucky enough to be in your presence should bow down and kiss the ground you walk on, that I was a sorry bastard if I seduced you, and how he would see to it that I died a very painful death if I hurt you."

Vanessa pressed a hand over her face. "Did you tell him that I wanted what happened last night?"

He chuckled, fingers brushing back her tousled hair. "I told him to get out of my bloody face, because I had a lady waiting for her morning coffee." He tapped her wrist and she dropped her hand, turning to look at him just in time to receive a soft kiss. "He said to tell you good morning, and he's leaving at ten if you still want to ride with him."

"And be subjected to a third degree of my own," she muttered.

"He raised some good questions, love."

Vanessa nodded as she took another sip of her coffee. "Cinnamon," she whispered. "How did you know I sometimes like cinnamon in my coffee?"

"Much as I'd like to take credit for being psychic, I had Cody over my shoulder when I ordered, telling me every detail."

She wondered why he'd never shared his knowledge with Randy. Biting her lip as the man's face came to mind, she felt anxiety twist her stomach. "Those questions he raised... Do you want to go over them now?"

"Whenever you're ready, love."

"How can you be so patient?" she asked softly, prying the lid off her cup so she could finish her coffee quickly. "Aren't you dying to know? Or do you just not care?"

"I'm patient because I care, Vanessa." He took her cup from her and pushed it with his onto the nightstand.

"What happens now?" she murmured. "Do we just part with a kiss and pretend this never happened? Do we pretend it never happened when with others, only to repeat it again at every opportunity? That's not fair to you. You deserve so much better than being my... Affair is the only word I can think of right now. You should have the greatest woman in the world, someone who can give you what you want and what you need, and-"

She was silenced by a kiss. Grunting in surprise, she began to pull away. But his hand cupped her cheek, so tenderly that nothing could have kept her from returning the kiss. She tasted the coffee on his lips, the tinge of mint, and doubted she would ever be able to taste coffee and mint without thinking of him. Her hands found his shoulders, fingers twisting in his shirt.

"What," he whispered against her lips, hand sliding to the small of her back, "do you want to do, Vanessa?" With just the pressure of his palm against her, she slid closer, legs sliding over his until she was settled in his lap. "Say the word and this will be the end of it. It'll kill me, but I'll walk away if it's what you want."

"Can you walk away?" she asked, winding her arms around him. Breathless and dizzy from his kiss, she tucked her knees against his hips, clutching his back for fear he would break away.

"From you? No. Not even with the hounds of hell at my heels. Can you?"

"I don't want to," she admitted. "I don't know what's going to happen, though. What he'll do."

"Question," he murmured. She bit her lip when he broke away, leaning back so he could look into her eyes. "Do you love him?"

"I love the man he used to be," she answered after a moment. "The man he was when we started seeing each other. That man, the one that laughed and made me happy, isn't around anymore. There are hints of him here and there, but for the most part, he's been replaced."

"By what?" Wade asked gently.

"Someone I never thought I would see," she whispered, tears burning her eyes. "Mostly he's brooding, but sometimes this monster appears. And it's gotten to the point that I do anything to please him to keep that monster from coming out. But it still does. I... I do everything wrong. I can't keep him happy. I try to, but I always mess up."

"How do you mess up?"

She blinked, hating the tears that slipped down her cheeks. "I don't fix his coffee right. I make too much noise when he's trying to sleep. I got too excited about my match with AJ. I don't give him enough sex." The walls she had started to build around her heart, which had started to crumble with Wade's first kiss, finally collapsed. "I can't do anything right. I'm a horrible girlfriend, you know? He tried to make love to me and I turned him down. I shouldn't have done that. I'm supposed to give him what he wants when he wants and... When I don't, he lashes out. He doesn't mean it, though. He promised he'd never hurt me. He doesn't want to hurt me. It's my fault that he does."

Wade inhaled sharply. "Vanessa-"

"I know it's not my fault," she whispered, not resisting when he brought her close to him again. "I know that, Stu. But... He says it so much that when I'm with him I believe it. I can see everything clearly when he's not breathing down my neck." She didn't realize she was crying in earnest until she felt his hand smoothing down her back. Closing her eyes tightly, she pressed her face into the crook of his shoulder. Hating herself for not seeing clearly until it was too late, she let her tears flow. "And now I've really messed up. I did the one thing I promised him I'd never do."

"Which was?"

"I started falling in love with someone else."

* * *

><p><em><em>I started falling in love with someone else.<em>_

__I started falling in love.__

__Falling in love.__

__Falling...__

Wade kept his eyes on the road as Vanessa's words echoed in his mind. They tumbled over and over, coupled with the heartbreaking memory of her tears. Tears that he wasn't able to brush away completely. Until she was fully free of Randy's grasp, she would have tears. Outwardly visible or not, he would know they were there.

__I started falling in love with someone else.__

A bittersweet statement. He had wanted nothing more than to pull her close, to kiss her until she had forgotten all about Randy Orton. He had longed to make love with her again, wanting to end their time together on a pleasant note. He hadn't tried; unable to make the bridge from soothing her as she sobbed to getting naked. Better that way, he decided with a firm nod to himself. He didn't want her thinking he was only after sex.

Even if it was the greatest he'd ever had...

"Why do yeh keep grunting and smiling over there?" Stephen asked.

Broken from his thoughts, Wade glanced to the passenger seat. In the hour since they'd left the hotel, barely five words had been spoken between them. He had almost forgotten his friend was with him. "Just thinking," he mumbled, turning his attention to the road again.

"About her."

"Yep."

"I was expecting yeh to tell me I had to ride with Cody and Ted so yeh two could be alone."

"I was, too." He had been prepared to suggest she ride with him to the next city, hoping they could talk more and sort things out a bit better. Then AJ had called her, buoyant about a new video game purchase. Vanessa had looked at him apologetically, assuring her friend she would try it out with her on the road. His mind immediately shifted to the sweet kiss they had shared before he left. He'd had to leave first, not sure he could take watching her climb into the car with Cody, Ted, and AJ.

"So, why are yeh grunting and smiling?"

Wade sighed. He should have known that this conversation would start. Stephen wasn't pushy when it came to personal topics, but he had a way of knowing when something was bothering him. "She's not happy."

"Aye." Stephen leaned his seat back a little. "I saw that for myself last night. She's a different girl when she's not around him. And the smiles?"

"She makes me happy when we're together."

Stephen smiled. "Next yeh'll be quoting Shakespeare."

"Don't be ridiculous," Wade snorted. "He's overused. I'd quote someone else."

That brought a laugh from his friend. "Anyone in particular?"

He sighed again, closing his eyes briefly before focusing on the road again. "'Your slightest look will easily unclose me though I have closed myself as fingers, you open always petal by petal myself as Spring opens – touching skillfully, mysteriously – her first rose.'"

"Cummings," Stephen murmured. "Yeh know, if any of the other lads started spouting off about rose petals, I'd think they'd gone crazy. But it suits yeh. She's got yeh head over heels."

"She said she was falling in love."

"Fuck," Stephen blurted in surprise, sitting up. "One night together and she loves yeh?"

"She didn't say that." Wade sent a quick glare to his friend. "Just that she's falling."

"Was this before or after-"

"It was this morning, when she was telling me about..." He pursed his lips, refusing to say the name. "Him."

"Ah. Yeh think she'll be running back into his arms?"

"I hope not," Wade groused. "It's complicated, Stephen."

"Are they secretly married?"

Wade shook his head.

"Engaged?"

"I like to think she'd tell me that. So, no."

"Expecting a wee bundle?" Stephen grinned when Wade glared at him again. "Sorry, was talking to me Ma earlier. There's a few wee bundles popping up back home."

"She's not pregnant."

"Then why is it complicated? She's unhappy, but she's happy around yeh. She's falling in love with yeh, and I know without yeh saying so that yeh fell in love with her already." Stephen settled back in his seat, tucking his hands behind his head. "Seems simple enough to me."

"She's scared."

"Of what?"

Wade didn't answer, focusing on changing lanes. When he'd finished that task, he adjusted the thermostat, overly warm all of a sudden. Clearing his throat, he realized his mouth felt dry and reached for the bottle of water in the cup holder.

"Oh, for fuck's sake, man, out with it. I won't breathe a word. And I won't let on to her that I know, whatever it is."

With a groan, Wade replaced the water bottle and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. "Him," he ground out. "She's scared of him."

"How do yeh mean?"

Taking a deep breath, he told him. Once the words began to flow it was impossible to stop. As though he were detached from himself, he heard the words she had told him that morning, then his own words describing what he had seen in recent weeks. The bruises. The fear in her eyes whenever anyone suddenly raised their hand near her. And the way she had panicked when he'd joined her in the shower.

When he finished, a somber air filled the car. Silence reigned for so long he glanced to Stephen. Seeing the cheeks flushed and the fists clenched in his friend's lap, he wondered if he had done the wrong thing in telling him.

"That bastard," Stephen finally hissed. "If I so much as see him glare at her, I'll..." He threw up a hand before looking to Wade. "When yer ready to kill him, come and get me."

* * *

><p><em><em>Miss you.<em>_

__Are you mad at me?__

__Call me. Text me. Something.__

__Why aren't you answering?__

__Babe, call me.__

Vanessa suppressed a sigh as she scrolled through the messages on her phone. She hadn't even looked at the thing until getting into the back of the car, and then only because it had started to vibrate. Seeing the plethora of missed calls and messages from Randy made her wish the battery would just die. At least then she could tell him her phone had died and she hadn't gotten his messages. But, no, she'd made sure to buy an extended-life battery. Bringing up a blank message, she tapped out a vague reply that she hoped would satisfy him for the time being.

__Just left. Low signal, can't make calls. Will call when I can.__

She wondered if he'd notice that she didn't add 'love you' to the end, as she always did. Looking up from her phone at the sound of music starting, she shoved the device into the bottom of her purse as Guns N' Roses began to play.

Next to her, AJ was sorting out the wires that would allow her to plug both her hand-held game systems into the adapter at the same time. Vanessa looked at the stack of games on the seat between them and instantly felt better. She rarely played video games, but enjoyed being able to lose herself in them when the opportunity arose.

Ted had lost the coin toss and was driving the first leg of the trip. In the front passenger seat, Cody manned the portable GPS. When he had plugged in their destination, he shifted around to face the back seat. "Did you take something for your headache last night, Nessa?"

__Sonofabitch.__ She looked up from the game she held. "What?"

"Your headache?" he prompted. "Or were you so wasted you've forgotten about it?"

"No... I didn't forget," she answered slowly, pretending to focus on the description of the game in her hands.

"Did you take something? Or did you just hit the sack?"

"I took something." She turned the case over to look at the front. "Worked like a charm."

"Yeah, I hear the body releases endorphins that work as a painkiller."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, handing the game to AJ with a nod. "You know very well what I took when I got back to the hotel."

"I just want you to admit it," he murmured. Tilting his head, he smiled. "So?"

"What?" she gritted, wishing Ted or AJ would speak up and change the topic. Of course, they didn't. Ted seemed all too interested in what was being said, whereas AJ was immersed in setting up the game.

"Fireworks? Explosions? An orchestra playing?"

"You're such a girl," she groaned, leaning forward to push on his forehead.

"A symphony then?"

"I'm not going to have this discussion with you. When I went out with Ted last year, you didn't give me the third degree."

"He didn't have to, he gave it to me," Ted muttered. "C'mon, Nessa, you know it's better to just answer him. Otherwise he'll pester you for the next six hours."

Vanessa groaned, eyes narrowing when Cody grinned in triumph. "He rocked my world, alright? There were fireworks, a symphony, and rose petals exploded from the ceiling. The couple in the next room needed a cigarette when we finished. Happy?"

"Someone had multiples," AJ sang softly.

"What did you say?" Cody questioned, leaning around the seat to look at her.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing, just muttering about the game." AJ gave a sweet smile, indicating the system in her hand. "Leave Vanessa alone now, okay?"

"But—"

"Do you want me to start asking you about your night?"

"Shit."

Vanessa breathed a sigh of relief when Cody turned around in his seat. "Thank you," she whispered to AJ, sliding down in the seat and taking the system when it was handed over.

"No problem." AJ looked towards the front seat as she scooted down, sliding over until she and Vanessa were shoulder to shoulder. "Now, tell me everything," she whispered.

**A/N: Wow, apparently y'all like Wade and Vanessa together! Thanks to everyone! xj0j0x: OMG I LOVED IT TOO! ;) Blackhat: I'm sorry you had to deal with that sort of situation; I have too, and this story is cathartic to me – of course, I didn't have Wade waiting in the wings... kendra151: Thank you! babe7878: LOL! I don't know that I could ever kill Randy! JohnCenaFan: For some reason I read that in the Kool-Aid Man's voice. Coincidentally, I said the exact same thing when I finished writing that scene. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Randy rubbed his chin, watching Vanessa pick over the selections in Catering. As had become the norm in the past few days, Cody and Ted were with her, so close they practically crowded her. Narrowing his eyes, he looked to the door when AJ bounced into the room. In a move so choreographed it would have worked seamlessly in the ring, she took Ted's place at Vanessa's side when DiBiase went to get a drink.

He hadn't been able to see her alone since Phoenix. Their hotel room had become a gathering place for the three people that had attached themselves to her hips. She had started inviting AJ to ride along on the bus. Cody was always hanging around their dressing room. Even Stephen, who'd barely interacted with either of them outside of group activities, had started showing up all the time.

Had there been a decree that she never have a moment alone?

_Something happened in Phoenix. But what?_

He watched her come towards the table with her plate and bottled water. AJ was still at her side, their heads close as they chattered. Cody was behind her. His eyes met Randy's and he was taken aback by the thinly-veiled hatred he saw.

He looked to Vanessa as she took the seat next to him, her smile wary. Draping his arm over the back of her seat, he leaned to kiss her cheek. "Eat up, babe," he murmured. "I was hoping we could get away for a little while."

"Where?" she asked.

"Just away," he sighed. "I haven't had you to myself in three days."

"AJ and I were thinking of going to play laser-tag."

His frustration boiled over. "Fuck her and fuck laser-tag," he ground out. "I want you to myself." When he turned back to his food he caught AJ looking at him. "You'll have to go out with my girlfriend some other time," he informed, the coldness of his voice matching the coldness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Vanessa said.

"It's okay, Vanessa," AJ murmured, stabbing a potato with her fork. "We'll do something tonight after the show."

Randy snorted. If he had his way, they wouldn't.

And he would have his way.

As soon as Vanessa put her napkin on her plate he scraped his chair back. He knew he was rushing her, but didn't care, anxious to get her away from the three people that seemed bound and determined to keep her from being with him. Cody tried to waylay her twice, and after a silent exchange he finally relented. Holding onto her arm, Randy guided her out of the room and down the hall.

"Where are we going?" she asked when he passed their dressing room.

"Out." He didn't care where. The parking lot, the parking garage across the street. Anywhere that he could be alone with her.

"Randy," she said as they rounded a corner. "Can you ease up? You're hurting my arm."

He forced his fingers to loosen. "Sorry," he murmured, sliding his hand down until it clasped hers. "I just want to get away."

"From what?"

He stopped walking, turning her to face him. "From what? What do you think? From this. From them. From everything that seems set on keeping us apart."

"Nothing's keeping us apart," she whispered. "We're together right now, aren't we?"

"What the fuck happened in Phoenix?" he hissed. She looked away, but not before he saw something flash in her eyes. Catching her shoulders, he yanked her closer. "What happened? Why the hell are Cody and Ted and that fucking annoying AJ always up your ass?"

"They're my friends," she gasped. "Randy-"

"Your friends? Ted and AJ haven't given two shits about you and now, all of a sudden, they want to be your friends? Why?" he demanded. "What happened after I left Phoenix?"

"Nothing," she insisted. "We just hung out. Had a few drinks and talked."

"About what?" She continued to avoid his gaze and he squeezed her shoulders, her gasp of pain falling on deaf ears. "What did you tell them, Vanessa?"

"I didn't tell them anything." Suddenly her eyes met his. "You think I want them knowing how fucked up we are?"

"We wouldn't be so fucked up if-" He cut off when a hand landed on his shoulder. He tried to roll it off but it stayed firm. Growling with annoyance, he looked back to find Stephen standing behind him. "What?"

"Yeh might want to let her go," the Irishman advised. "Yer hurting her."

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm having a discussion with my girlfriend. Back off."

The hand remained on his shoulder. "Not until yeh let her go."

Randy narrowed his eyes, turning back to Vanessa. "Tell him I'm not hurting you, babe." As he spoke, he relaxed his grip on her, the anger and determination fading a little when he saw the relief in her eyes. "Tell him."

"I..." Vanessa faltered, taking a step back. Just before she ducked her head, he saw tears in her eyes. "I'm okay," she whispered.

"Go on outside, I'll be there in a minute." Randy indicated the nearby exit. She hesitated, and he gave her a quick nod. "Go on."

He waited until the door clicked shut behind her before turning to face Stephen. Pushing the hand from his shoulder, he lifted his eyebrows in question.

"I want to talk to yeh, Orton."

"I'm busy," Randy snapped.

"Bullying the girl takes up a lot of time, I know, but this is important."

Randy's jaw twitched. "I don't bully her. And I'm a little old for your Be A Star speech."

Stephen narrowed his eyes. "I call it as I see it, Orton. And when the girl can't even look me in the eye to tell me she's alright, I know something's wrong. And I'm telling yeh, it'd be best for all if yeh take a step back. An honorable man doesn't have to resort to violence to keep a woman by his side."

"You've got it wrong." Randy straightened to his full height. "I am not an honorable man."

"Then maybe yeh should become one."

He rolled his eyes. "Are you finished? I need to spend some time with her. Thanks to you and those other three, I haven't gotten her to myself in days."

"Have yeh thougt of asking yerself why?" Stephen lifted his chin. "I'm telling yeh this only once. If yeh hurt her again, it'll be the last thing yeh do."

"What are you talking about?" Randy tilted his head. "You were there. What happened that night?"

"Which night are yeh referring to?"

"Don't play stupid with me." Randy moved forward until their faces were barely an inch apart. He'd been in the same stance countless times in the ring, but this time was different. This time, he didn't know how things would end. And he hated not knowing. "Four days ago, something happened in Phoenix. I can't get her alone long enough to get her to tell me. Cody and Ted won't tell me. AJ sure as hell won't tell me. You were there. You tell me. Did she say something about me?"

"Vanessa is a completely different woman when yer not around, Orton. She didn't tell me anything about you. In fact," he added, a smile pulling at his lips, "yer name didn't come up at all. It was like she didn't even miss yeh." Stephen took a step back, giving a nod of his head. "Remember what I said."

Randy watched him head down the hall. Fists clenched, he worked to steady his breathing. Of course she'd missed him. She'd told him so.

And he'd make her tell him again.

* * *

><p>Cold dread filled Vanessa's heart when she came out of the bathroom to find Cody and AJ had left. Looking to the bed, she saw Randy leaning against the headboard, flipping through a magazine with a nonchalance that caused the dread to slip into her gut. She ran her fingers through her damp hair. The shower that had momentarily lifted her spirits long forgotten, she cleared her throat. "Where'd they go?"<p>

"They left." Randy didn't look up.

"Are they coming back?" she asked hopefully, moving her gaze to the couch. A marathon of horror movies had been planned. AJ's idea. The small coffee table still held the piles of snack food they had purchased at the convenience store on the corner.

"Nope."

"Oh." Vanessa glanced at the TV, which was on. Not caring to watch the cartoon about the yellow sponge that was on, she moved to pick up the remote. She flipped through channels, nothing holding her interest at all. "Did you want to watch a movie?"

"No."

Sighing, she continued flipping through channels, finally stopping when she came to an episode of _I Love Lucy_. She glanced anxiously from the bed to the couch and finally moved to sit on the couch, tucking her legs under her. The hilarious redhead did little to calm her nerves, though. If anything, it only increased her anxiety. Over the laughter coming from the TV, she could hear each time Randy turned a page. The noise seemed enhanced. Taking a deep breath, she looked over at him and found him staring at her.

"We need to talk."

Oh, boy. That couldn't be good. "What about?" she asked, hoping her voice didn't sound half as panicked to him as it did to her.

"You. Your posse of friends that won't leave us alone. Your night in Phoenix."

Phoenix. The word brought a flood of sweet, tender memories. Memories she tried to hold at bay. In the days since, she had seen Wade only for professional reasons. Their contact outside of work was limited to text messages, which she treasured for a moment before deleting. "What about Phoenix?" she asked after a moment.

The magazine was tossed aside and she watched him slide off the bed. His long legs carried him across the room in such a short amount of steps she knew she would never be able to outrun him if the need ever arose. She felt a pang; she knew she would never even try to outrun him. There would be no use in even trying. Her gaze followed him. He picked through the junk food on the coffee table, finally selecting a box of Milk Duds.

"We haven't really talked since then, have we? I can't get you to myself for five minutes these days. Cody and Ted are always hanging around. AJ's always joining us on the bus. The only time we're alone is when we're asleep. Even this afternoon, when I tried my damnedest, someone interrupted."

She shook her head when he offered a piece of candy, thinking of the way he had stormed outside the arena. Whatever had been said by Stephen had riled him greatly, but before she could ask if he was okay Teddy had come out, looking for her. "It's been a busy week," she murmured.

"It's always a busy week." He popped a Milk Dud into his mouth. "But we've always made time."

"True."

"So what's different about this week? We're on the road, so that's the same. You're working your ass off in the ring, which is new, but that's not it, is it?" He shook the box. "The only thing that stands out is you staying in Phoenix when I went to the next stop alone."

"I've done that before, though," she reminded gently. She hated the calmness of his voice. Each word that passed his lips taunted her, only added to her anxiety.

"True," he relented, shaking the box again. "But something happened that night."

_He knows_. She would never be a good enough actress to conceal the surprise and panic that filled her. "What are you talking about?" she whispered.

His eyes met hers and she felt a chill at the coldness in his eyes. "You tell me."

"There's nothing to tell." She was stammering and couldn't help it.

"No?" The box was dropped onto the table, its contents spilling. "You haven't told me anything about that night, babe. I didn't even hear from you after I left."

"We just went out to celebrate my match."

"Who?"

"Codes, AJ, Ted, Stephen, and me," she answered, praying he wouldn't sense that she was withholding something. Too late, she remembered to look away.

"Who else?"

"No one," she said quickly. Too quickly. "It was just the five of us."

She jumped when his hands landed on the back of the couch, looming over her. "Who. Else."

"Barrett," she whispered.

"Why was he there?"

Vanessa reached down deep within and grabbed hold of the last bit of courage she possessed. "I invited him," she answered, finally meeting his eyes. "I'd just had my first match in almost six months, and my first win in a year. I wanted him to come along."

"Why?"

"Because I like him." The shock in his eyes caused that last bit of courage to expand. She tightened her grip on it, praying it would see her through what she knew would be a mighty battle.

"Of course you do. All the women like him," he scoffed. His fingers curled against the back of the couch. She could feel the rage building within him, but didn't back down. Not even when the vein on the side of his neck protruded. "That fucking accent of his is great at dropping panties."

"It doesn't have anything to do with his accent," she informed. His eyes narrowed and she ducked under his arm, sliding away. Getting to her feet, she folded her arms over his chest. "He's nice, Randy."

"Yeah? Did he tell you how nice he was to my ex?"

"Yes, he did." She saw the surprise in his eyes. Drawing in a deep breath, she pulled her lips between her teeth. "He also told me that she came to him."

"And you fell for it?" He snorted as he stepped towards her.

"What choice do I have? You won't tell me what happened." Standing her ground, she looked up at him.

"Do you want me to tell you my side of the story?"

"No." The answer shocked her. She didn't really want to hear what he had to say. In her mind, it was ancient history. And... "I know you well enough to know that you'll only try to make yourself out to be the victim."

"Where the fuck is this coming from, babe?"

"Don't," she whispered. "Don't call me 'babe' anymore."

"Jesus, he must have spun a great tale," Randy muttered.

"This isn't about him," she cried. "This is about me and you, and how you..." She couldn't bring herself to say the words. Her hold on that courage was slipping fast. "You called me 'babe' that night. And ever since-"

"What night?"

She blinked, lips parting in surprise. _The night you raped me. The night you became a monster._ "The night before we went to visit my parents," she whispered. "The night you-"

"Taught you a lesson?" he challenged.

"What lesson was it, Randy? That you can't take no for an answer? That it doesn't matter what I want, you're going to get what you want? Or that I'm nothing but a hunk of flesh that belongs to you?"

"You do belong to me." His voice was little more than a growl.

Staring into his eyes for a long moment, she searched for any hint of the man that had captured her heart so many months before. Even the slightest trace of the man he'd once been would have caused her to falter. Seeing, none, though, she shook her head. "No."

"No?" he repeated.

She dodged the hand that reached for her. "No," she said firmly. "I don't belong to you."

He released a mirthless chuckle, pursuing when she continued to move away. "Yes, you do."

"I belong to myself, Randy." She gasped when his hand caught her elbow, wrenching it as he jerked her back to him. The bravery faltered. "Let go," she whispered. "If you care half as much as you say you do, let me go."

"I am never letting you go." One corner of his mouth tilted upwards. "And there's nothing you can do."

He was right. Heart racing with panic, she tried to break free of his hold, his smirk twisting when she failed to get away. _He's not right._ "I'll scream." She regretted the words when his other hand clamped down over her mouth.

"No you won't," he taunted.

She closed her eyes to avoid the ice cold glare. Her mind raced, thinking of moves she could pull. Each one was shot down, knowing he would be able to overpower her with no effort on his part. She shuddered at the feel of his lips next to his ear, his low voice promising that she would never leave him. Making a fist in the hem of her nightshirt, she was struck with a sudden idea. She parted her lips beneath his hand, flicking her tongue over his palm to distract him. She felt him tense, and his lips left her ear. _Please, God_, she prayed, bringing her hand to his face. She opened her eyes just in time to see her palm make contact with his cheek, the sound of the slap echoing in the room. He let go of her elbow, reaching to knock her hand away, and she slammed her knee upwards.

He stumbled back from the blow, gasping for breath. Panting, she turned to get away. Just as she reached the door he released a low growl. An arm came around her waist, pulling her back to him, and she tensed.

"Why are you doing this?" he hissed. "You think I won't want you if you put up a fight?" Before she could think to form a reply, his hand came down over her mouth again. "Do your best, _babe_. It only turns me on more."

She froze when his hand reached beneath her nightshirt. His fingers brushed over her stomach before moving lower. Eyes filling with tears, she clamped her thighs together. Pressing her elbows against her sides, she garnered all her strength before sending them backwards with all her might. They made contact with his stomach and she sucked in a breath when his hand fell from her mouth. Dragging her nails down the arm that was still around her, she raised one hand to block him from covering her face again. She expected him to taunt her further, but he was silent and she knew she had surprised him. Spinning to face him, she twisted his hand back, watching his face screw up in pain. "I'm done," she insisted, ducking to avoid his hand. She had no idea where her sudden strength was coming from. All that mattered was she get away. One foot swung upwards, making contact with his crotch, and she reached behind her to open the door as he staggered back.

"I'm done," she repeated when he fell to his knees. Awed that she had knocked him down, she struggled to breathe, trembling from head to toe. She saw the mask of pain covering his face before he dropped his head. "I'm so done," she breathed. Turning, she fled the room, the door slamming behind her like a gunshot.

**A/N: Seriously, this scene was so unexpected. My faint plan for the story had it going in a completely different direction. But I'm loving this. Hopefully, you do too. - _I Love Lucy_ is probably my all-time favorite show, and I bow down to the greatness that was Lucille Ball. Milk Duds are a candy that my husband loves – I personally can't stand them.**

**Belated disclaimer: I don't own Randy (sigh), Wade (double sigh), Sheamus (darnit), Cody (dangit), AJ (she's so cute!), or any other persons related to WWE, which I also don't own. Please don't sue me, because all you'll get is a pack of cigarettes and my gas money for the week.**

**Thanks to my lovely reviewers and to those who've added this to their favorites/alerts. Xj0j0x – you rock as always! Blackhat – Thank you! And a rowdy cheer for cowboys who are good at many things. *smirk* rhodesXmorrisonXorton – Awww man you made me tear up! Thank you so, so, very much! I'm glad you're enjoying the stories. Your viewpoints on the differences between the relation was spot-on.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

"Brilliant," Vanessa muttered to herself as she paced the hallway. "Leave without _anything_." Groaning, she rubbed her bare arms and leaned against the wall across from the elevator. "You could have at least grabbed your phone." She slid down the wall, dragging her knees to her chest. She longed to wallow in self-pity, but she was too stressed. The hallway of the hotel was a lot cooler than the rooms. She hadn't gotten a chance to find out which rooms Cody and AJ were in, and she wasn't about to troop up and down knocking on doors. The roster and crew were spread out over three floors. Banging her head against the wall, she wondered if she would be thought a psycho if she went down to the desk and asked for help. She stretched the hem of her nightshirt down over her bare legs. "Think," she whispered, dropping her forehead to her knees.

It was impossible to think of much more than what had just happened, though. At the time, she had felt nothing but the need to get away. Now, looking back, she felt a multitude of emotions. Relief that she had gotten away. Pride that she had stood up for herself. Anger that she had let it go on for so long. Fear that he would come after her. Sadness that it was truly over.

Her head lifted at the soft ding of the elevator. When the doors slid open she was already on her feet. Her heart raced, and she expected to see him. In her rush to get away, she had darted down the stairs to the next floor. Surely he would be looking for her. She glanced at the door for the stairs, mentally gauging how far away it was from where she stood.

"Vanessa?"

The relief that flooded her at the sound of the familiar voice caused her knees to buckle. She leaned against the wall for support, finally drawing oxygen into her burning lungs.

"Are yeh alright?"

"I don't know," she whispered truthfully.

"What's happened?" Stephen asked, his voice gentle as he approached.

"I... He..." She wet her trembling lips. "I don't have anywhere to go," she finally managed.

"C'mon, I'll take care of yeh."

When his hand lightly touched her arm, she flinched. He apologized, drawing away, and nodded down the hall. She went with him, desperate to escape the chill of the hallway. Hating the silence, she struggled to think of something to say. But she remained quiet as he unlocked his door and motioned for her to go in first.

"Here yeh go."

She hugged herself, standing in the middle of the room. As he closed the door, she shivered. Shouldn't she have started to warm up by now? "Stephen... Thank you."

"None needed." He took off his hat. She felt his questioning gaze on her. "Here," he murmured, and she gasped when she felt something warm draped over her shoulders.

His jacket. She would have smiled had she had the energy. "Thank you."

"Yeh need anything?" She turned to look at him and he offered a wry smile. "Stupid question. Sorry. Do yeh want to talk about it?"

She saw him motion to the bed and moved to sit, arms sliding into his jacket to pull it closer. Tucking her legs under her, she watched as he settled in the armchair near the bed. He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees and hands clasping together. His expression was blank, but she didn't miss the flash in his eyes. "I left him," she whispered. Saying the words aloud was akin to turning on a faucet. She knew with one look into his eyes that he knew. Whether he had guessed it on his own, or had been told by Cody and Wade, she didn't didn't know. Nor did she care. She was just so grateful that she didn't have to explain the situation. And the words tumbled out.

Stephen was silent as she spoke, not showing any signs of impatience when she stumbled over words or had to stop to brush away her tears. A box of tissues was pushed into her hands and the gesture only brought more tears. When she finished, he rose to his feet. His hand rested on her shoulder for a moment, then he moved away to dig into his suitcase.

"What are you doing?" she questioned in confusion. Brow furrowing when he turned, she looked to the clothing in his hands. They were placed on the bed next to her and she ran her fingers over the soft sweatshirt, noting the matching pants.

"They're not yer size, but they'll have to do," he said. "Put'em on while I fix yeh a drink."

The controlled movements of his body as he walked into the bathroom caused her heart to twist. Knowing it was useless to turn down the warmth of clothes, she slipped out of the jacket, quickly pulling on the sweats. Cinching the drawstring of the pants as tight as it would go, she looked up from the fabric pooling at her ankles when he reentered the room.

"It'll calm yeh down," he advised, holding out the glass.

She regarded the amber liquid with trepidation. Finally accepting it, she took a tentative sip. "Good God," she gasped as it burned a trail down her throat. "What is this?"

"Whiskey." He smirked at her reaction. "Bushmills."

Vanessa doubted that, but drank it just the same. Liquid fire slid to her belly and she shuddered, handing the glass back to him. "How many does it take to get used to that?"

"Yeh act like I gave yeh battery acid." He pushed the glass onto the nightstand. "Lie down and get some rest." Taking his jacket from the bed, he tossed it onto the chair before reaching to pull down the covers.

"I get the feeling you're not going to sit down and watch me sleep," she sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. The ball of fire she had swallowed was spreading outwards, slowly warming her chilled body.

"Yeh always were a quick one," he mused.

"Where are you going?" she asked after sliding back to lean against the headboard.

"To get Cody for yeh."

"You can call him."

"I'd rather talk to him face-to-face." Stephen brought the covers up over her knees, patting them lightly before turning to the door.

"You're a horrible liar." Sitting up straight, she was about to get out of bed when he turned around. "Don't," she implored. "Please, don't."

"I'm not going to hurt him." Stephen's lips curled into a smile. "Much. I promise, I'm just going to get yer things."

"Stephen—"

"I'll be back with Cody soon."

With that, he was gone.

* * *

><p>Marching down the hall, Cody rolled up his sleeves, eyes narrow as he approached the door to Vanessa's room. In the hour since Randy had all but thrown him out, he had tried countless times to get her on the phone. Each time, his call was directed to voicemail. After sending at least twenty texts, begging that she contact him, he was at his wit's end. He wouldn't worry so much, had he not seen the ice cold rage in Randy's eyes just before the door closed.<p>

His fist was raised, ready to pound on the door, when approaching footsteps made him falter. Surprised to see Stephen heading in his direction, he rested his hand on the wall and took a deep breath.

"She's not there," Stephen announced.

"What?" Cody looked to the closed door, images of a battered, bloody Vanessa flashing in his mind. "Where is she?"

"Downstairs in my room. I found her there a while ago."

"What happened?"

"She left him."

Knowing he was showing a lack of faith in his friend, Cody snorted. "Right. For how long this time?"

"If yeh saw her, yeh wouldn't say that."

"Why are you up here now?" Cody asked, still looking at the door.

"I came to get yeh for her. She's a little shaken up right now."

"If he hurt her, I swear to God-"

"She's alright." Stephen raised a hand and rapped at the door.

Cody marveled at the polite tapping, as though the man were dropping by for a quick visit. "What are you going to do?"

"First, I'm going to make sure all her things are given to me." Stephen straightened his shoulders and knocked again. "Then I'm going to push his face in." His eyes narrowed and he pounded on the door. "Open up, yeh spineless bastard!"

Unused to seeing the Irishman's temper outside the ring, Cody stared. Hearing the door rattle, though, he turned his attention to the task at hand. The door had barely opened before Stephen's hand was on it, pushing it open fully, planting himself firmly so it couldn't be closed in his face.

"Th'fuck do you want?" Randy growled.

"We're here for Nessa's stuff," Cody answered. Blue eyes pierced him with a glare and he prayed this wouldn't end in bloodshed.

"Where is she?"

"That's none of yer business," Stephen hissed.

"You ain't getting shit until you tell me where she is."

In the time it took Cody to blink, he heard a fist meet flesh. Looking on in awe as Randy stumbled backward, crashing into the dresser, he was glad he had Stephen on his side. "I'll get her stuff," he muttered to Stephen.

It was difficult to gather her scattered clothing, for each time he picked up something, the sound of a blow landing caused him to lose focus. He crammed as much as he could into her suitcase. "Duck," he hollered, turning to fling the bag out the door. It narrowly missed Randy's head, landing in the hallway with a thud just as Stephen's fist swung out again.

He was coming out the bathroom, Vanessa's toiletry case in hand, when he saw AJ standing in the doorway. "Catch," he called, slinging the case in her direction. Spying the messenger bag that Vanessa jokingly referred to as her life, he snatched it up, eyes scanning the room for anything he may have missed. Her purse lay on the floor next to the bed. He stepped forward to retrieve it, lurching back when Stephen's body was thrown towards him. Randy followed, shoving him out of the way as he released a string of curses. Scooping up the purse, he tossed it and the messenger bag to AJ. "She's down in Stephen's room."

"Which room is that?" AJ asked.

Cody looked over to Stephen, who had a pair of hands wrapped around his throat. Slamming his fist into Randy's shoulder, he found himself on the receiving end of he man's glare again. "What'd you do this time?" he asked, backing away. "What'd you do to make her leave this time?"

"Nothing." Randy held onto his jaw with one hand. "I didn't do anything to her."

"Then why'd she leave?" Cody demanded. "She didn't leave when you hurt her before. Why now?"

"You tell me." Randy brought his hand from his lips and looked down.

Cody wet his lips when he saw the blood on Randy's fingers. "Look at you," he whispered, continuing to back away. "You tell me why the fuck she should stay with you."

"She loves me." Randy turned his head to spit.

"She loves being your punching bag?"

"She's mine." Randy's eyes glowed with pure rage. "She's supposed to be here."

"Nessa doesn't belong to anyone," Cody whispered. He backed up further, felt the edge of the door frame against his back.

"I need her." Randy pressed his hands over his face. "Cody. I need her."

"You should have thought about that before." Cody shook his head when Stephen walked up behind Randy. "She's too good for you."

"We're finished here," Stephen decided.

"Where is she?" Randy asked, grabbing the front of Cody's shirt when he turned to leave. "Tell me where she is. I need to see her, to tell her-"

"Write a letter. Because I'm going to make damn sure you never see her again." Suddenly, he recalled all the hints that he had ignored over the past six months. The bruises. The flinches when Randy's voice rose. The haunted look in her eyes when she thought no one was looking. Curling his fingers into a tight fist, he swung out. When Randy released him staggering back, he shook his head. "If you come near her, you'll regret it," he warned. "If you touch her again, I'll kill you."

* * *

><p>Vanessa's heart jumped to her throat at the knock on the door. Even though it had only been moments since Stephen had left, it felt like hours had passed. He wouldn't be back so soon. She had seen the determination in his eyes before he left. She feared what was going to happen – or was happening at the moment. The repercussions were at the forefront of her mind. If an altercation occurred, there was no telling what Vince would do. She doubted Randy would let him waltz into the room, get her things and leave without resistance. And she had seen Stephen in the ring enough to know that he didn't hold back when angered enough. Many who had faced him in the ring had come out with true injuries.<p>

The knock sounded again and she slid off the bed, tiptoeing across the room. It wouldn't be Stephen, she rationalized. It was his room, he'd use his key. No one else knew she was there. Biting down hard on her bottom lip to keep from making a sound, she wondered if Randy had found her. The knock was repeated, and she gulped. Leaning onto her tiptoes to glance through the peephole, she sagged against the door. "Stu," she breathed, shaking hands reaching to unlock the door.

Wade entered, chuckling. "Didn't catch you in the shower, did I? I thought we might-" he cut off when he turned, eyes landing on her. "Vanessa."

"Stu," she whispered.

"What's happened?" he asked, eyes darkening. His gaze swept the room before he locked eyes with her again. "Where's Stephen?"

"Upstairs." She pushed the door closed. "He..." The coldness that had finally left her returned. "He went to get my stuff."

"What's happened?" he repeated, softer this time. He reached for her with one arm and she surged forward, pressing her face against his chest as his arms enveloped her. "Oh, love," he murmured, lips brushing the top of her head. "Are you alright?"

"I left," she mumbled against his shirt. "He was..." she struggled to find the right word. "Questioning me about Phoenix. I couldn't take anymore. I had to – and then he grabbed me and... I had to get away." She sniffled, clinging to him as he guided her to the bed. "I didn't have anywhere to go. Stephen found me and made me drink some god-awful whiskey and gave me some clothes and left. He said he was going to get my stuff. But I know he-"

"Shh." Wade's lips pressed to the top of her head again as he set her down.

Feeling him start to put away, she grabbed hold of his shirt and refused to let go. "Please don't leave me."

"I'm just going up to give him a hand. Vanessa," he whispered, fingers sweeping over her cheeks. "I can't let him do this alone."

"But what if..." Vanessa groaned, knowing that God himself wouldn't be able to sway the man's decision. She nodded, uncurling her fingers one by one.

The door rattled and she felt Wade's arms slide around her. Without realizing it, she held her breath when the door swung open. Breathing a sigh of relief when Cody entered, followed closely by AJ and Stephen, she once more grabbed hold of Wade's shirt. Hearing her three friends bickering back and forth, she frowned.

"Well?"

Wade's inquiry caused the three to stop. AJ, clutching Vanessa's purse and messenger bag, looked as lost as Vanessa felt, and quickly slipped away from the two men, leaving the things on the floor as she moved to sit on the bed. Cody avoided everyone's gaze, lightly massaging his knuckles.

Stephen rubbed the back of his neck, and Vanessa gasped when she saw the marks on his neck. "I don't think he'll be bothering yeh again, sweetheart."

"Good God, what did you do?" she breathed, looking to AJ for answers.

"Don't ask me. I was on my way to the vending machine and heard yelling. Peeked in and saw them going at it." AJ gently rubbed Vanessa's back. "Are you okay?"

Vanessa nodded, not really caring about her own well-being at the moment. "Codes? Stephen? Are you-"

"We're okay," Stephen promised with a nod. "We'll probably get suspended, fined, or have our asses ripped out, but we're okay."

* * *

><p>By the time Vanessa's things were placed in Cody's room, she was beyond exhaustion. She padded across the room, not bothering to muffle her yawn as she dropped her weary body onto the bed. She hadn't expected Cody and Wade to argue over whose room she should sleep in. She had come very close to sneaking out with AJ, but Stephen had finally offered the voice of reason. Whatever he had said worked, for Cody had given her a soft kiss on the cheek before letting Wade lead her away.<p>

"Turn off the TV?" she requested, not bothering to shift her face to one side so she could be heard clearly.

"You need to get some sleep, love," Wade murmured after switching off the late-night infomercial.

She groaned as he shifted her on the bed, turning to face him when she felt him crawl in beside her. "I'm too tired to sleep."

"Rest, then," he decided. The lamp was turned off, bathing them in darkness.

Feeling his hand slide over her shoulder, she moved towards him, curling close to his side. There was no pretense in his gesture. She knew he only wanted to comfort her. And she had validation when he reached to tuck the covers over them, guiding her head to rest on his chest. The steady thrum of his heartbeat calmed her frazzled nerves, and she closed her eyes. "Do you think they'll be suspended?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "Stephen, probably. If what he said was true, he made the first swing. Cody may just get by with a fine."

"I doubt Stephen would lie about that." Shifting, she tentatively slid her leg over his. She had a need to be as wrapped up in him as possible. Wade's fingers smoothed through her hair, an idle motion that was so comforting she found herself growing lethargic. "I wish he hadn't done it."

"I wish I'd been with him."

"Stu..." Bracing her hand on his chest, she lifted her head, barely catching the outline of his face in the darkness. "As Teddy would say, save it for the ring. Holla," she added as she settled down again.

His sudden rumble of laughter was all she needed to know that everything would be alright.

**A/N: _Will _everything be alright? Will Stephen get suspended? Will Cody get fined? Will Wade save it for the ring? What's going to happen to Randy? Why have I started putting so much Stephen in here? And why am I asking so many questions?**

**JohnCenaFan, xj0j0x, babe7878, kendra151 (stop putting ideas in my head!), Blackhat, peeps8705 (no worries!), rhodesXmorrisonXorton, pickles-cat24 – Thanks so much! I was blown away by all your wonderful reviews! *blows kisses***


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Vanessa drew in a deep breath to calm herself. Tapping on the open door of the locker room, she called out, "Are you decent?"

Her question was met with raucous laughter, and several towels were slung in her direction. Rolling her eyes, she stepped into the room, shielding her eyes just in case. She peeked through her fingers and, assured the men within the room were covered, headed to where Cody sat. And waited.

"Well?" she prompted when he merely kissed her cheek in greeting.

"Well, what?" he returned, bending to tie his boots.

"What happened?" she asked softly, not sure how much the other men knew. It was no secret that he had been ordered to fly to Stamford the day before, but she had no idea if anyone else knew why.

"I lose my title tonight," he muttered. "And I'm being downgraded to jobber."

"Vince must be pissed," she groaned. Looking at the Intercontinental Champion belt that was hanging over an open locker door, she sighed. Cody wasn't champing at the bit to become WWE champion. His love for the business made him happy doing what he did now – a mid-card with occasional pushes. But his family name was legendary, and he was always expected to do so much more. Being downgraded had to be a low blow. "What did he say?"

"Let's see..." Cody adjusted his knee pads. "That I'm a detriment to the Rhodes name. That I have to learn my place. And that if I learn my lesson, I may get a push come SummerSlam."

"But that's months from now," Vanessa cried, ducking her head when others glanced in her direction. "Do I even want to know what he did to Stephen?"

"Anger management. And the idea about pushing him to win the Rumble is off the table. Needless to say, he's beyond pissed."

Vanessa groaned again, pulling one knee to her chest so she could prop up her chin. "This sucks. Is Randy in any trouble?"

Cody snorted, yanking the title off the locker door and slamming it shut. "Of course not. He's always been Vince's favorite."

At one time, Vanessa would have argued that Cena was the golden boy of the WWE. Now, though, she understood that those born into the business were given an extra push. Randy, being third-generation, was pure gold. It didn't matter whether he was heel or face, the fans loved him. "Yeah, I got the email."

"The promise that anyone starting a fight with on-air talent would be severely punished?" Cody rolled his eyes.

"That'd be the one." Sighing, she got to her feet. "I better get to the Gorilla. I start the show tonight."

"Be careful," he whispered.

She wondered how he had learned that Randy would be interrupting her promo. "I will. Stu's coming out, so I'll be alright." Leaning onto her tiptoes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "See you later."

* * *

><p>Going over her promo in her mind, she waited for her cue. She was supposed to call Randy out on the fact that he was scared of Wade. Randy would come out first. Though she had no clue what his exact words would be, she knew the idea was that he accuse her of trying to sabotage him. Their words would get heated, and then Wade would come in, surprising them both. He wasn't slated to appear that night.<p>

A hand brushed her shoulder and she turned, gasping when she saw Randy. A makeup artist had done her best to cover his black eye, but there was nothing that could be done about the split lip. He didn't speak, merely giving her a nod as Lillian introduced her. She pulled her lips into a thin line, turning away as her music began. Giving herself a mental head shake, she stepped out.

The reaction was mixed. She held her head straight as she walked to the ring. It felt strange, walking out alone. For her match with AJ the week before she had been too pumped to notice, but now she felt awkward. She was not used to having all eyes on her. Grateful she wasn't wearing heels, she climbed into the ring, steeling herself for what was to come.

"I've heard the rumors," she announced, holding the microphone a little tighter than necessary. Her words were met with a few boos, and she straightened her shoulders. "Word is that I'm going behind Randy's back, that I'm going to make sure he loses his title soon." She turned, looking out at the crowd. "I'm here to put those rumors to rest." She blinked, remembering that she was supposed to seem contrite. "Randy Orton-" she cut off when the audience cheered, signs waving. "Randy Orton is one of the hardest-working superstars in this company. Who among us hasn't seen him take down legends, newcomers, and all in between?

"I love him. I am committed to Randy. I will do whatever it takes to make sure he keeps his title. He is the only person in the world who deserves it." The words tasted bitter in her mouth. "If I have to lie, cheat, beg, and steal, I will make sure that the one standing victorious in two weeks is him."

She paused to take a breath, seeing that some in the crowd appeared to believe her. That was a little bit of a relief. "However," she continued, stepping to the other side of the ring, "I know that only Randy can make sure he wins. Only Randy can do what needs to be done to keep that title in his hands." Each time she said his name, cheers threatened to drown out her voice. She wondered if he could do anything and be viewed as less than the hero he obviously was. "I'm scared. He's not focused on this. He's not interested in it at all. And we all know that when he's not interested, things happen."

She turned to face the Titantron. "Randy, I know you're scared. Wade Barrett is good. He has the ability to beat you." She hated the closeup of her face they showed on the screen, not liking the wary look in her eyes. "If you think you can just waltz in, RKO him and be done, you're mistaken."

The lights dimmed, the first beats of his music played, and the crowd went wild. Vanessa watched his steady walk to the ring, heart pounding anxiously when his eyes met hers. She stood her ground as he entered the ring, noting that he paused to look out at the crowd before coming to stand before her. He looked down at her, face showing nothing but determination.

"Let me tell you something, Vanessa," he said after raising his microphone. "You think I'm scared of him?" He lifted his head, eyes never leaving her. "I'm not scared of anything. Not Barrett, not anyone in the WWE, and least of all your attempt at making me jealous." One corner of his mouth lifted into a sneer. "You think I don't know that you're going to him behind my back? You think I don't know that you're telling him you're going to help him? Do you think I'm stupid, Vanessa?" He took a step forward, face looming close to hers. "I'm not." He slipped the belt from his shoulder, raising it above his head. "There's not a man alive that can take this title from me," he continued, over the cheers of the audience. "If someone did, I'd accept it. I wouldn't be happy, but I'd accept it. What I can't accept is if I lost this title because of outside interference. Especially if that interference happened to be...you."

The heat she received from that one statement made her want to run. She longed to back away from him, though she knew she couldn't. She had to stand her ground, no matter how truly scared she was. "I am not going to be the one that interferes, Randy. The only thing interfering is your fear of failure." She tilted her head back, matching his stance. "I don't have anything riding on this match, but you do. Because no matter what the outcome, I'm still going to be by your side. It doesn't matter to me whether you're WWE champion or not." She stepped closer, heard his sharp intake of breath. "Because I love you, Randy. I love you almost as much as you love the title." His eyebrow rose, chin lifting, and she exhaled. "Everyone knows you love that," she said, grabbing hold of the belt and giving it a shake, "more than you love me."

"You're crazy if you believe that-"

"So what happens if I do interfere?" she continued, not giving him a chance to speak. "What's in it for me? I lose my credibility. I lose _you_. I lose everything, Randy. Those people back there, my friends, my second family, would lose all respect for me." She blinked rapidly, sucking in a breath as the crowd began to chant. _RKO._ "You see that?" she said softly, motioning to the audience. "You see what this has done? Wade Barrett has just swept in and all of a sudden, you don't trust me. Me, Randy. I would trust you with my life, and you don't trust me to just stand ringside and watch the match? Me? Who gave up everything just to be in this company? I would never do that to you. I would never do that to the WWE, which I love and respect more than-"

"Don't," he bellowed, chest rising with each breath he took. "Don't bother coming out here talking about love and respect—especially respect!" He leaned closer, face so near hers she could see only him. "You screw me over and you disrespect everyone who has ever stepped into this ring. You know what?" He backed away, laying the belt over his shoulder. "Get out. Get out of my ring. You do not deserve to be in it."

She stared at him, surprised at the venom in his tone. What the hell could she say to that? Narrowing her eyes, she knew she would probably piss off several people as an idea came to mind. "Of course," she murmured. "We can't upset the golden boy, can we?" she asked with a sarcastic roll of her eyes. "I mean, God forbid something not go the way you want it. What are you going to do, Randy? Are you going to throw me out yourself?" His jaw twitched and she knew she was pushing things a little too far. "You know what?" She rolled her head from side to side. "Go right ahead." Dropping the mic to the mat, she looked him straight in the eye, hands raised in silent challenge.

He obviously considered it. His eyes sparked at the challenge, and she knew how hard it was for him to back down. But, lightly rubbing the corner of his mouth, he shook his head. "What good would it do?" he asked. "You'll only come back." He slowly moved towards her again, advancing until she was forced to step backwards. When she was up against the ropes, he finally stopped. "I know you won't have a problem helping Barrett take the title from me. So, I'm telling you that if you get in my way... I will have no problem whatsoever kicking you in the skull and putting you out of this ring permanently. And then I'll make sure to do the same thing to him."

_Where the fuck are you, Stu_? she wondered, inwardly panicking. She maintained a cool exterior, pushing on his chest. He stumbled back and she followed him, snatching the mic from his hand. "You come me with that leg," she spat, walking him into the ropes, "I'll break it off." Vanessa could barely hear herself think over the sounds of condemnation emanating from the audience. Whether for her or Randy, she couldn't tell. Wasn't he supposed to sweep in and rescue her? Was he getting some sort of perverse pleasure out of all this? She sneered as Randy gripped the ropes. "Just as I thought. You're a coward." She brushed her hands over her thighs as she stepped back. "Have a nice night, Randy." She dropped the mic, blew him a kiss, and slipped out of the ring.

She walked backwards away from the ring, almost stumbling when he turned to watch her. His body heaved with each breath, and for the first time since they'd been paired on-screen, she was on the receiving end of his viperous glare. His eyes moved to something behind her, and the derision from the audience increased tenfold. She knew without looking who had arrived. Continuing to watch Randy as she moved up the ramp, she stopped when a large hand rested on her shoulder. Just the feel of his hand was enough to calm her racing heart.

Her music kicked in and she walked out to the loudest boos she'd ever heard.

Heel turn: complete.

"Where were you?" she asked as soon as they were backstage. Staring up at Wade in disbelief, she braced her hands on her hips. "You were supposed to come out and do something, but all you did was just stand there? What kind of help is that? A freaking referee could have done that. Why come out at all?"

"Are you finished?"

"No, I'm not! I was scared to death in that ring, Stu! For someone so damned determined to kill him on my behalf, you acted like a gigantic pansy!" She saw him fight a smile and her indignation grew. "Don't stand there smirking at me! I-"

"Didn't need any help," he murmured.

"And you-"

"Decided that you could handle that on your own."

"And now you're-"

"Going to kiss you."

Jaw dropping, she didn't have a chance to react, hands flailing as his lips descended over hers. It was gentle, sweet, and made all her anger seep away. Hands landing on his chest, she released a soft sigh when he broke the kiss. "You can't get me to stop being mad at you by kissing me."

"Perhaps not, love, but I can calm you down enough to tell you that you were bloody brilliant out there. You didn't need me. I know you were scared. It didn't show. You, Miss Tyler, would have massacred him if he'd touched you. And neither I nor a referee could have stopped you."

**A/N: I may have gone a little overboard on the in-ring segment, but once I started I couldn't stop myself. And I can't take all the credit for what was said – a lot was taken from Randy's promos with John Cena during the whole Nexus/Cena feud/fiasco/brilliant storyline.**

**Thank you all so very much for the lovely reviews! Peeps8705, babe7878, Emmettluver2010, kendra151, xj0j0x, Blackhat, and thedaughterofhogwarts – you guys rock! Hope you all enjoy! I really love getting your reviews, they inspire me so much. And for those of you that have read/reviewed/etc., my other story, Are You Game?, I'll be finishing that up later tonight. **

**As I write this I'm watching Smackdown and my 1 year old is going bonkers watching Zack Ryder. Are you serious, bro? :D **


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

"What are your plans for your days off?"

Vanessa lifted her eyes from the paper's crossword puzzle. Finding Wade looking at her, she smiled. She completely forgot about his question as she took in his appearance. His hair was mostly concealed by a black baseball cap. The sleeve of his jacket tightened around his bicep as he reached for the sugar, and she caught a glimpse of the blue t-shirt he wore. Without looking, she knew he wore a pair of faded jeans. He looked at her, his lips pulling into a smile, and lightly tapped the rim of his coffee cup with his spoon. "Oh. I'm planning on going home. It's starting to warm up and I need to switch out some of my clothes. My cousin's baby is turning one next week, so I'll probably go visit her and give the little charmer a present. I need to tell Mama and Daddy about Randy, too."

"You haven't told them?" he asked, slipping the front section of the paper from beneath her elbow.

"Not really. They just know we had a fight. I thought it'd be better if I could explain face-to-face." It was a conversation she wasn't looking forward to having. Since her visit home with Randy nearly a month before, her mother had begun to campaign for a wedding. It didn't matter that no engagement had been announced. First it had been casual mentions of particular flowers being beautiful at certain times of the year. Then had come the comment that it was time to give her grandmother's wedding dress a good airing-out, and that she was about the same size. Vanessa had brushed each mention off, not really noticing her mother's ploy until she had bluntly been asked if she would rather marry at home or church. Perhaps it had been the fact that the question had come the day after she had left Randy, or perhaps because she had been tired and stress. Regardless, Vanessa had gone into a tirade, calling the man every name in the book and even inventing a few new ones.

Her mother hadn't brought up the subject of weddings again.

"Are you going to tell them everything?" Wade murmured, folding the paper over and placing it next to his cup.

"I don't know." Vanessa saw that he folded the paper the same way her father did. Looking back at the crossword puzzle, she tapped her pen against the table. After her morning run with AJ, Wade had arrived at her door to invite her to breakfast. "I'm not sure they'd understand your part in everything. Three letter word for punk music variant?"

He was silent for a few seconds. "Emo. What exactly is my part in everything, love?" His foot lightly brushed hers as he stretched out his legs. "It's not as though I hit you over the head with a club and dragged you away from him." She looked up and found him smiling. "I'd rather have you come willingly."

That gentle hint that he was still waiting for her. She knew that he would never give her an ultimatum, but many nights she fell asleep fearing that the next morning he would tell her he was tired of waiting. She wished she could just dive into his open arms and lose herself, but a niggling fear kept her from doing so. What if she was wrong about him? She'd been wrong about Randy. The thought of going through the same thing, this time with a man that had her so dizzy she could barely see straight, was the scariest thing she could imagine. If things went sour with Wade, she wouldn't be able to survive. "I just don't think Mama would understand why I turned to you. She's a little old-fashioned. She thinks that when you connect with someone you're connected for life." Vanessa reached for her coffee. "She'd probably look on it as cheating."

"I suppose in a way, she'd be right." His hand slid over hers, ceasing the tapping of her pen. "But why should it matter now? You're not with him anymore. You're an adult, who can make her own decisions."

"I know." She smiled at the feel of his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "I just don't want to upset them."

"They love you. They'll understand, love." He gave her hand a squeeze. "If they don't, dropkick them."

"You're horrible," she groaned. She tried to act as though she were mad, but the laugh bubbled up regardless. "I do want you to meet them. You and Daddy could have long discussions about the English language. He'd be fascinated by your accent."

"Not as fascinated as you, I hope."

Their eyes met and she grew overly warm. Though she hesitated to make their relationship official, she hadn't been able to deny herself the pleasure of sharing his bed. It was in those moments, their bodies tangled, him whispering in her ear, that she forgot every worry that had ever cropped into her brain. And afterward, bodies still tangled, he held her in his arms, his voice soothing her to sleep. She craved the sound of his voice. It was the first voice she heard every morning, and the last every night. Grasping his hand when he began to pull away, she stared into his eyes, not acknowledging the waitress that slipped their meals in front of them. "Stu."

"Yes, love?"

She smiled. The endearment, which had once been casual and said to every female, was now reserved for her. "What's my favorite color?"

His brow furrowed in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

"My favorite color. What is it?"

"Green. It's your favorite because to you it signifies new life. As a girl, you craved the first wave of spring, when trees would begin to sprout leaves and your favorite flowers would start pushing up from the ground."

"And my favorite flowers are..."

"Daffodils and lily of the valley. There are scores of them growing around your home, most transplanted from your grandmother's house."

"Where do I see myself in ten years?"

"Still in the business. Married, with at least two children. You want a house in your hometown, so the children can experience the small-town life, and a house on the beach in Florida, because you love it there. Your hope is to balance family and career, because you know you'll never be able to give one up for the other." Wade tilted his head. "Have I passed the examination?"

"There's one more question." She glanced down when his fingers twined with hers. "What's my dream wedding?"

"A small, intimate ceremony in the church your parents attend, with your family and closest friends. Followed by an outdoor reception in your parents' back yard. You want it to be a day filled with fun and love, and you want to share it with those closest to you." He smiled, pulling her hand to his lips to he could press a tender kiss to her palm. "What's my score?"

"You aced it," she whispered. He had been listening. All those rambling, drawn-out conversations when they were riding in the car or lying in bed. He'd listened. "I'm such a fool."

"Why would you say such a thing?"

"Because it's the truth." Vanessa glanced around. She hadn't thought she would do what she was about to do in such a public place. "You know how I've kept you at a distance since Randy and I broke up?"

"Yes..." His thumb traced her knuckles again. "I know you've been scared, love. I don't blame you. And you know that I'm willing to wait until you're-"

"I'm ready," she murmured. Looking up, she smiled. "I'm ready, Stu."

* * *

><p>Vanessa leaned up for a kiss as she reached behind her to open the door. "I'll be right back," she whispered. Her hands caught the front of Wade's t-shirt before he could pull away.<p>

"Love, you're the one who said you had to go see AJ for a few minutes." He gently grasped her shoulders, leaning in for another kiss before setting her at arm's length. "Go on. I won't start the movie until you get back. I'll even keep away from the popcorn."

Her nose wrinkled. "You said that last night when I went to the bathroom and when I came back it was nearly empty."

"Go," he groaned, turning her and nudging her out the door. "I'll keep my bloody hands to myself."

"Just until I get back," she whispered, sending him a sultry look before heading down the hall.

He very nearly went after her. Refraining, he dragged a hand down his face. He watched, making sure she got to AJ's room without issue, then closed the door with a sigh. In the two days since she'd told him she was ready to make their relationship official, he'd been walking on air. He had noticed little difference in their normal activities, though. But there was just something to be said for knowing she was his. To know that when she woke up she wouldn't have the doubt and worries clouding her eyes was magical. To see the knowing look on others faces when they saw them together was empowering. There was no hesitancy between them when in public now, whereas before she had shied away from so much as holding his hand.

Crossing the room, he flopped across the bed, grunting when he landed on her phone. He shifted to one side, pushing it away, then drew it closer to look at the screen. His face looked back at him. He would have stored the knowledge away for future teasing had he not done the same thing with her picture on his phone. Truth be known, he had dozens of photos of her stored on his phone. No airbrushed professional photos; just random snapshots of her over the past month. Asleep in the passenger seat. Head tilted back, mouth open with laughter. Rolling her eyes at something he'd said. And many more. He would never tire of looking at her myriad of facial expressions.

He had set her phone aside, intent on passing the time until she returned twiddling his thumbs, when Verdi's _La donna è mobile_ began blasting from the small speaker. He cringed, reaching for the phone to silence it. Realizing he'd answered, he brought it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Kitten! Angel baby – Who the hell is this?"

Wade pulled the phone away to look at the screen. _Daddy_. Shit. He sat up and looked to the door. "Wade Barrett, sir."

"Why are you answering my daughter's phone, Mr. Barrett?"

"She left it lying on the bed..." _Bloody idiot, just admit you have sex with her to her father_. "That is, she's gone down the hall for a moment."

"You must be very distracting, Mr. Barrett. My Kitten rarely leaves her phone behind."

Wade gulped. He couldn't remember ever being this nervous when speaking to any of his previous girlfriends' fathers. Especially over the phone. "I don't try to be, but it's been known to happen," he replied, immediately bringing his palm to his forehead. "Should I tell her you called?"

"No, I can wait. You said she'll be back in a moment?"

"Yes." Wade looked to the door. He was certain that now she would take her sweet time in getting back.

"Your accent is quite unique. I'm guessing Manchester?"

* * *

><p>Vanessa was letting herself into the room when she heard Wade's slow, lazy laugh. She couldn't help smiling at the sound. There was just something about his laugh – the deep rumble that began in his chest before ending in a high cough, a little sigh escaping his lips. Immediately her eyes were drawn to him and she saw him sprawled on the bed, one arm tucked beneath his head as he chatted on the phone. One foot was propped up, an image of pure relaxation and ease. He laughed again, looking at her, and she smiled as she tossed her key onto the dresser. Noticing that the bowl of popcorn remain untouched, she took a seat on the settee. He'd waited for her. He grins when she glances at him, a mischievous grin, and that was when she realized he was talking on <em>her<em> phone.

"That's great, Brian," he chuckled, and Vanessa felt her eyes bulge.

"Is that my father?" she asked in panicked whisper, on her feet. Wade furrowed his brow, holding one finger up to silence her.

"Absolutely. Of course I'll tell her." Wade was grinning and she could only look on helplessly. "Don't forget those pictures, I'm counting on them." He paused and she heard her father's voice before Wade laughed again. "Alright, Brian. Good talking to you... Yeah... Bye." He pulled the phone away, tapping the screen to end the call before holding it out to her. "Your father is _hilarious_."

"What pictures?" she asked, grabbing her phone.

"He mentioned you modeled for a store in Atlanta a few years ago. I said I hadn't heard of that, and he said he still had the pictures somewhere on his computer..."

"You... I..." Vanessa stuttered, annoyance simmering in her but not as strong as she would have liked. She had learned it was impossible to stay mad at Wade.

"He wanted to know if you'd gotten your flight booked yet. I told him your trainer is an asshole, but he'd make sure to get that flight booked as soon as possible." He grinned cheekily at her as her eyes narrowed.

"You're impossible," she muttered.

"And you, Kitten, are just going to have to live with it," he replied with a smirk, rolling from the bed. It took him only three strides to read the couch and he sat down, pulling the bowl of popcorn into his lap.

"Alright," she sighed, moving to sit next to him. "What information did you get out of him? You should be ashamed of yourself, tricking an old man like that..."

"There was no trickery involved," he huffed, a playful annoyance in his tone. "He didn't tell me much, love. Said that you were named Vanessa Marie after your grandmothers, that you sucked your thumb until you were five, and you have a love for Regency romances."

"Unbelievable." Letting her head fall back, Vanessa groaned, rubbing her hands over her cheeks.

"He also said..." Wade paused to toss several kernels of popcorn into his mouth. His smirk grew as he chewed, obviously enjoying her irritation. "That you are the apple of his eye and if I am, and I quote, dallying with you, I'll have several overprotective uncles to answer to."

"That's true," she murmured. "Two of them are deputies, which means they'd ask questions while pointing a gun at you."

"I promised him that I am in no way dallying." His arm slid around her, pulling her close to his side, and she heard his sigh of contentment when she tucked her head in the crook of his shoulder. "He asked about Randy, too. I told him that was a subject you'd have to discuss with him."

"I'm going to," she promised. Between her parents, she expected her father would be more understanding.

"Then I was invited for a visit this week, if my schedule permits," he announced casually.

Vanessa lifted her head, blinking in surprise. He didn't seem to notice, aiming the remote at the TV. She continued to stare, finally pulling the remote from him to mute the sound when the movie began. "He invited you to Georgia?"

"Yes." He met her eyes.

"Are you going to go?"

"Do you not want me to?"

"Do you want to go?" she returned.

"They're your parents, love. Do you think he would invite me if he wasn't ready to meet me?"

"Can we please stop answering questions with new questions? And, no, he wouldn't invite you if he didn't want to meet you. I'm just... Surprised that he did. He never showed an interest in meeting Randy until I announced I was bringing him home."

"I do want to go. But only when you're ready," he murmured. As he spoke, he slid his hand up her back, fingers pulling at the band holding her hair in a ponytail. When it was free, he swept his fingers through the tousled waves.

Vanessa continued to look into his eyes. Not really seeing the gentle shift in color, she traced the grunge pattern on his t-shirt, suddenly lost in thought. Though it had been impossible to picture Randy in her home before he had gone to meet her parents, it was surprisingly easy to imagine Wade there. He would be comfortable with her father. She knew in her heart they would form a camaraderie within moments of meeting. Picturing him, relaxed and at ease on the old couch that had belonged to her great-grandparents, she smiled. Her mother would put the finest cooks in the world to shame, cooking up her version of his favorite dishes. Her aunts would go crazy over his accent. Her uncles would hang on every word when he talked about his days as a bare-knuckle fighter. And she had no doubt whatsoever that she would be free of worries during the visit.

"I'll book our flight after the movie," she whispered.

"You're sure?"

"Positive." Flattening her palm over his heart, she leaned in for a kiss, movie forgotten when he drew her into his lap.

**A/N: The weekend got away from me! New glasses, new contacts – now I have a headache. I didn't realize how freaking blind I was until I got the new ones. Oy.**

**This chapter was mostly fluff, but important fluff, I think. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks to everyone for reviewing! It means so very much. **


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Vanessa closed the door after watching her father and Wade ride off with her uncle. They were going shooting. She couldn't help the worry that Wade would come back with an injury. Though her family seemed unconcerned about his arrival with her the night before, her mother had steered him to the guest room before dragging her to her old bedroom. There had been that don't-even-think-of-going-in-there-with-him look before the door was closed. She had spent the remainder of the night wondering when she had reverted to sixteen years old again. As soon as breakfast had been finished, her uncle had arrived. Vanessa wondered if he had been waiting outside for a signal from her father.

"You've got a lot of explaining to do, young lady."

Vanessa let her forehead slam against the door. She should have known. She turned, hoping her smile was one of innocence. "What do you mean, Mama?"

Judith Tyler held out a pair of gardening gloves. "You can explain while we're in the flowerbeds."

The late March sunshine was warm on the back of her neck as she knelt next to her mother, plucking out miniscule weeds that had started to poke through the mulch bedding. The silence between them was deafening. Vanessa finally sat back on her heels. "Mama..." she began tentatively, wiping dirt from her wrists. The gloves merely spread the dirt further, causing smears that reminded her of the bruises Randy had left. She wondered if the day would ever come that she wouldn't see the bruises. "You're acting like I'm cheating on my husband. Randy... Randy wasn't right for me."

"What happened? Not a month ago you were here and the both of you looked so happy." Her mother pursed her lips as she tugged on a stubborn weed. "Didn't he ask you to marry him?"

"What? No!" Vanessa's eyes widened. "We weren't even talking about-"

"He asked your father's permission."

"He what?" She was certain her heart had fallen clear to the Earth's core. Randy had asked her father's permission to marry her? The man who had never asked permission for anything – she doubted even as a child he'd asked permission – had actually approached her father about asking for her hand? Flabbergasted, she could only stare at her mother.

"He pulled him aside not long before y'all left. Was just as humble and sweet as he could be. He showed him the ring and everything." Judith sat back, pulling off her gloves. "And you let that wonderful boy go."

"Mama, he was not wonderful," Vanessa breathed. "He hurt me."

"What do you mean?"

Vanessa yanked off her gloves and began scrubbing at her wrists with the hem of her t-shirt. "He hurt me, Mama. I... I... I had so many bruises," she whispered. She ignored the burning of her skin, needing to remove every hint of dirt. Maybe if she managed to do so the marred skin would leave her memory.

"I never saw one bruise."

"He was smart enough to leave them where no one would see, or where I could cover them up."

"What did you do to make him that mad?"

Tears blurred her vision as she turned to look at her mother in shock. Her mouth worked but no sound came out. Blinking rapidly, she prayed the tears wouldn't fall. The look on the older woman's face was the same one she had encountered as a teenager attempting to rebel. It was the look that meant her mother didn't believe her. Scrambling to her feet, she ignored the budding irises she stepped on, in such a hurry to back away from her mother that she nearly tripped over her own feet. "You don't believe me? Mama, I would never lie about something like this."

"You would if you thought you'd found something better." Her mother sniffed; a haughty, aristocratic sound that sent a chill through Vanessa. "I don't see how you could think this Wade or Stu or whatever his name is could be better than Randy."

"Stu doesn't hurt me," Vanessa whispered. "He treats me like... Mama, he treats me like you always told me a man should treat a woman. He's a gentleman. Yes, he can come across as arrogant and stand-offish, but he's got the sweetest soul you'll ever know."

Judith slipped her gloves back on and bent to resume her weeding. "I don't want to know it." She glanced up. "Now get back down here and help me so we can start lunch."

"Do it yourself," Vanessa decided, tossing her gloves to the ground. "I'm going to the cabin."

She ignored her mother's shout that she come back, stalking across the yard. With each step her heart pounded harder and faster, bitter tears finally slipping free as she rushed into the house. Grabbing her wallet, phone, and the spare keys to her father's car, she hurried to the front door. The sound of it slamming behind her did little to make her feel better. She was on the old narrow road leading to the family's hunting cabin before she managed to draw in a steady breath. Without thinking, she snatched up her phone and dialed a number her brain refused to forget.

It rang once, twice, before he answered. "Vanessa?"

"Is it true?" she asked.

"Is what true? Babe, are you crying?"

"Were you going to ask me to marry you?"

"Who told... Your mother."

She closed her eyes briefly at the sound of his sigh. "How? Why?" Her hand came down on the steering wheel and she slowed as she neared the turnoff.

"Because I love you. I thought..." She could picture his arm stretching out, as it always did when he was searching for the right words. "I thought it would put us on the right track."

"God." Slamming on the brakes after making the turn, she cursed her need to talk to him. Now it was clear it had been a mistake. Would she ever learn not to make decisions in the heat of a moment?

"Babe—Vanessa," he corrected himself. "Where are you?"

"Does it matter?" she whispered. She could be halfway around the world and still make bad decisions. "Bye, Randy."

"Babe, wait-"

She ended the call and flung her phone into the backseat. It had barely landed when she heard the ringtone begin. Their song.

Resting her forehead against the wheel, she let her tears come.

* * *

><p>"Never liked the man," Brian muttered as he stood at his brother-in-law's tailgate. He looked on as Buddy reloaded the handgun. "I didn't put up a fuss, though, because Judy liked him and things seemed alright between him and Kitten."<p>

"Funny, you never let on that you didn't like him when he was here," Buddy snorted. "Would have thought he was your new best friend."

"I was being polite," Brian stressed.

"Politeness is overrated." Buddy pushed the clip into place and turned to hand it over to Wade. "Don't shoot him in the kneecap, no matter how much you want to."

Wade nodded, not feeling inclined to smile as the two men continued to mutter back and forth. He'd already been subjected to hearing how Randy had done when taken to the clearing near the cabin. Of course the man had demolished the target. And of course he was comfortable with a gun in his hand. And of course Vanessa had been elated when she'd learned. He suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, turning slightly when he heard a car approaching. He recognized it as belonging to Vanessa's father, and set the gun on the tailgate when he saw her behind the wheel.

"Was hoping you'd come show off your skills," Buddy called when she climbed out of the car, which she'd parked haphazardly next to the cabin. "You want the three-eighty or the nine – who lit your fuse?"

Wade furrowed his brow in concern as she stalked across the clearing to where the truck was parked. He worried that her ire was directed at him and struggled to recall if he'd done something wrong, then saw that her eyes were spitting fire at her father.

"You told him he could ask me to marry him? After lecturing me about taking things too fast, you gave your permission? And since when did I need your permission, anyway? Weren't you the one that told me a couple years ago that I was a grown woman and only had myself to answer to?"

"Kitten—"

"Don't 'Kitten' me, Daddy! Why didn't you tell me? God, first Mama doesn't believe that he hurt me and now I learn you were going around telling him he could marry—"

"He hurt you?" both men questioned.

"Yes, he did," Vanessa gritted. "And he," she gestured to Wade, "is one of the reasons I managed to get out of that. Because he helped me realize that I was worth more. He showed me that it's okay to stand up for myself. I know you probably don't like him, but I don't care. I am so fucking through being sweet and quiet, because I end up being walked all over." She paused for a deep breath and Wade was certain he heard her father brace himself. Instead, she turned to face him. "I'm going home, packing up, and leaving. If you'd like to stay here that's fine, but I'd really like if you came with me."

Wade felt two pairs of eyes swivel to him. Speechless, he cleared his throat and nodded.

They were in the car and almost on the road when he heard her phone start to ring. She never took her eyes from the view outside the windshield. He glanced back and saw it lying on the backseat. Leaning to retrieve it, he stopped when her hand landed on his arm. "Don't," she whispered. "I know who it is. Just... Don't."

* * *

><p>Leaning against the wall backstage before the taping, Randy stared down at the iPod in his hand. He'd come across it in Catering and had recognized it immediately. He would always be able to pick out something as belonging to her. Turning it over in his palm, he looked down the hall, towards the locker room he knew she was in.<p>

She avoided him like the plague, even more so since that random phone call two days before. Unless they had to do something in the ring together, she acted as though he didn't exist. But he had seen the way she'd looked at him when she'd arrived earlier. For the first time since she'd left him, she hadn't looked at him as though he were the scum of the earth. He had no idea what had caused that minute change, but he gloried in it. Baby steps, he reminded himself as he pushed away from the wall.

Baby steps.

When he reached the locker room, the door was open. He looked in, saw her perched on a bench, back to him. She was in her ring gear; just the sight of her shiny hair resting against her back took his breath away. The desire to enter, take her in his arms and never let go was strong, but he resisted. _Baby steps_. Lightly tapping on the door, he kept his expression impassive as she turned.

Her eyes widened and she was on her feet in an instant. He saw her calculate the distance between her and him, then her and the door leading to the showers.

"I found this," he announced, keeping his tone soft as he held up her iPod.

"Oh," she whispered. When she stepped forward he saw her hands were shaking. "Thanks."

"Anytime." He slipped it into her outstretched hand, unable to resist letting his fingers linger over her palm for a few seconds. Their eyes met and he saw the spark he never thought he would see again. Dropping his hand to his side, he pressed his fingers together to savor the memory of her soft skin. "You doing alright?"

"Y-yeah." She blinked. "You?"

"I'm miserable," he answered honestly. Her eyes dimmed before she looked down. "I'll see you around."

"Randy—" She cut off when their eyes met again. "Be careful out there."

"Always." Baby steps be damned. He slowly raised his hand, not wanting to frighten her, and swept his fingers over her cheek. Her breath came out in a stuttering gasp. Brushing her hair behind her ear, he let his hand fall away. "You be careful too."

He couldn't wait around for her to speak again. He was out the door, down the hall and leaning against the wall next to the gorilla before his lungs functioned normally.

When his cue came it took him longer than usual to prepare himself to go out. The cheers and applause were barely heard. Instead, with each step he took towards the ring, he heard her soft voice. Instead of the faces in the audience he saw that spark in her eyes when they'd touched. The belt resting over his shoulder was like a dead weight. It was probably a good thing that it was his last time holding it for awhile.

If he didn't have her, nothing else mattered.

Standing in the ring as his music faded out, he raised the belt one final time. The theme he hated above all others began and when she came out on his arm he forgot everything else. He watched her as though in a dream, everyone else faded away and he could remember the first time she'd approached him in the ring. The way she had looked up at him, like he was some sort of hero.

Now, she looked at _him_ that way. When the lights came up and he saw the man that had torn his life apart kissing Vanessa's hand and felt his stomach twist. He didn't hear what was said, but it didn't matter. Handing the belt over to the ref, he retreated to the corner, gearing himself up for the match.

Gearing himself up to lose.

**A/N: You guys are just so awesome words cannot describe! I can't get over the love y'all give me! Thank you all so much!**

**Blackhat – I couldn't either. Heck, I couldn't have sex in my mom's house... xj0j0x – Aren't they stinkin' adorable? ;) rhodesXmorrisonXorton – I seriously need a guy like him too. Oh, wait, I'm married. Still... babe7878 – Glad you enjoyed! RKOCMJHGIRL – Thank you, thank you!**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

Vanessa's finger traced the intricate detailing of the ink on her lover's upper arm. She didn't mind bearing the brunt of his weight as he lay over her. She reveled in the feel of his heartbeat vibrating his chest and was warmed by the deep, hot breaths that washed over her neck. Pressing kisses to his shoulder when he began to roll away, she followed the guiding of his hand at her back, gasping as their bodies remained joined. She pushed her hair back as she straddled him, smiling when his eyes opened. Her hands slid down to meet his at her waist, their fingers twining. He still glowed with the thrill of victory; she doubted he would come down from his high for days. Leaning over, she offered a tender kiss, sighing when his hands slid to cup her backside.

The kiss deepened and she braced her hands on his chest, back arching when he gently urged her to move. "You're insatiable," she whispered, boosting herself into a seated position. Wade's smirk caused her heart to flutter in her chest, and when his eyebrows waggled she laughed. "At least you haven't made love to while wearing the belt..."

"Yet," he added, fingers clutching her hips. "I thought about it."

"Would you jump off the bed and march around shouting 'yes' after orgasm?" she inquired, her tone losing its playfulness when a ragged moan bubbled up from her throat. His low laugh sent shivers down her spine. She was barely moving and was already so close. Sometimes she didn't doubt that he would be able to send her over the edge with just one look. Her body tingled just thinking of the possibility. Forcing her focus on the present, she shuddered as one hand left her hip. His calloused palm swept down her torso before resting over her lower abdomen. Knowing what he was about to do, she braced herself.

And growled in frustration when his thumb stayed where it was.

His smirk grew. "Something wrong, love?" he questioned.

"No... I just want to come."

"Am I keeping you from that goal? I apologize. We must rectify the situation."

She squealed in surprise when he lifted her off him, her heart pounding as he guided her to her knees. Leaning forward, she bit down hard on her bottom lip, eyes drifting shut. The hand on her hip slid up her spine before grasping her shoulder and she let her head fall forward when he swiftly entered her. "Oh, God," she gasped, fingers clawing at the sheets.

"Better?" he asked. His arm tightened about her waist, working his hips against her roughly. The sharp, deep thrusts brought a scream from her and she was aware of his soft chuckle. His hand left her shoulder, dipping down to grope one breast before moving lower, caressing her backside.

Vanessa cried out his name, leaning back to meet his thrusts. Certain her breathing would never return to normal, she attempted to raise up on her elbows. But when his hand strayed, fingers sliding over the flesh just above where their bodies joined, she shuddered, pressing her face into the pillow. "God, Stu," she whined. She didn't mind when his arm tightened around her waist, holding her still for his assault. His fingers skittered over her slick folds and she slid one hand down, fingers curving around his wrist.

He leaned over her, skin barely grazing her back, and his lips brushed over her neck. "Is that better, love?" he whispered, nipping and licking at her shoulder. She felt him smile against her skin when she moaned.

"Yes," she breathed with renewed passion as his fingers worked her clit vigorously. Her breath hitched in her throat when the sudden wave of euphoria began to swell deep within the pit of her abdomen, and she slammed backwards, fingers digging into his wrist. Feeling him work faster against her, she squealed. The arm at her waist loosened, his hand sliding up to rest just below her breasts. He drew her upwards with him, hand pressing over her heart as his forehead rested on her shoulder. His growls and panting breath urged the wave to sweep over her and she cried out, throwing her head back against his shoulder. Entire body taut with concentrated energy, she tightened around his length. "Please," she gasped, both hands moving to clutch the arm that held her upright. "Please-"

"Fuck," he roared. She felt him grow rigid, felt him surge within her.

He bit at her neck, the hint of pain pulling a scream from her as the ecstasy took over. Held up only by the strength of his arm, she was vaguely aware of his shouts. Body tingling, she felt him throb within her seconds before they collapsed to the mattress. His arm still around her, their legs tangled, his breath short, harsh pants against her skin. She struggled to suck in a clear breath, legs twitching with aftershocks.

They lay in the same position for so long she began to fear he had fallen asleep. Finally shifting her head, she heard him sigh, felt his arm tighten around her before he slid to lie beside her. She slowly rolled to face him, a smile pulling at her lips. Shivering at the loss of his warmth, she watched him look to the rumpled blankets the hung precariously at the foot of the bed. Leaning down, she straightened them as best she could before drawing them over their bodies. Then, cuddling close, she released a sigh of pure contentment.

"Alright there, love?" he murmured after a moment, fingers trailing absently through her hair.

"Better than ever," she promised.

His thumb brushed over the spot on her neck that he had bitten. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"

She shook her head, pressing a kiss to his chest. "No," she whispered. "I liked it. When I win my first title, I hope I can do the same to you."

He chuckled, hand returning to her hair. "You don't have to wait for that, Vanessa. You can do whatever you'd like to my body at any time."

"You're going to regret saying that, Stuart." Sighing when she felt him lean away, she blinked when he switched out the light. "Mr. Barrett, you've just become the WWE champion. What's next?"

"Well, first on my agenda is getting some sleep. You've no idea how tiring it is being me, Miss Tyler." Wade's tone oozed arrogance and she could feel his haughty smirk. His arm circled her waist, drawing her closer. "Afterward, I plan on making love to the most beautiful woman in the world until she forgets everything but my name."

"And then?" she whispered, seeking his lips.

"I suppose I'll have to defend my title. There are many individuals who are stupid enough to believe they could take it from me. I see a very long title run."

"You're going to be awfully busy, aren't you?"

"I'll never be too busy for you."

* * *

><p>Cody tapped on the door, peeking inside in time to see Vanessa stepping out of the showers. Offering a cheeky grin when she squealed, he threw his hands over his face, despite the fact she was wrapped in a towel. "I didn't see anything," he promised with a laugh.<p>

"There was nothing to see, asshole," she groaned.

Chuckling, he entered the room, pushing the door to behind him before moving to sit on the nearest bench. "I just want to see your new ring gear."

"And you can't wait until I get into it?" Vanessa scoffed, throwing a towel at him. "Get out of here, you perv."

"Whoa, who lit the fuse on your tampon?" he grunted, turning his head when she began pulling things from her bag.

"I didn't get much sleep last night."

He jerked his head around in time to see her smug grin. Rolling his eyes, he watched her duck around the corner to dress. "Just rub it in!"

"Did you hear me say I had tons of sex? No. I said I didn't get much sleep. Your dirty mind translated that into sex."

"Well I seriously doubt you two were having a debate over stem-cell research," he snorted. "Are you in it yet?"

"Isn't that what your last date said?"

"Oh, ha-ha. I saw the sketches, Nessa. There's barely enough fabric to make a bikini, how long does it take to put it on?" When she didn't answer, he sighed, leaning back. "How are things going with Barrett?"

"Good. Very good. Very, very good."

"Have you talked to your mom?"

"Nope."

"Your dad?"

"Yes."

"Is she still pissed about you breaking things off with Randy?"

"Yep."

"Do you want to talk about it?" he ventured, already knowing the answer.

"There's nothing to talk about, Codes. She thinks I'm stupid. She thinks the sun shines out of his ass. I think she's lost her damn mind. She told Daddy that I'm just doing this to make her mad, and that I made up everything I said about being hurt. Needless to say, I won't be going home for Easter."

"Where are you going?"

"I don't have a clue," she sighed. "Stu's off the same days I am, so we're talking about doing something together. He mentioned flying home to see his family, but since he'll be going out there the next week... I don't know."

Cody opened his mouth to suggest that if Wade did go home for the holiday she was more than welcome to come home with him, but found himself gaping when she came around the corner. Staring at the vast amount of skin that was bared, he blinked. "Jesus, Nessa..."

"It's bad, isn't it? I knew it was too-"

"No, no, it's good. It's really good." Cody wet his lips and forced his gaze from her chest. "I like the color," he mumbled, looking down at the floor.

"And what color is that, Codes?" she challenged.

"Um... Blue?" he ventured. Her bare feet came into view and he slowly lifted his head, grinning when he saw that her costume was actually black. "Don't glare at me," he defended when she glared. "I'm just a guy!"

"You're impossible," she snorted. "Do you think it's good, really? My old gear was just... I'd been wearing it since my debut and when they told me I could get something new, I leapt at the chance."

"I think it's great." Steeling himself, he looked over her again, nodding. "It is. I like the shorts."

"They must be planning on keeping Stu and I kayfabe for a long time," she said, turning her back to him. "See? They incorporated his emblem."

Cody stared at the extremely short shorts that hugged her backside, which featured the same anchor and roses as Barrett's t-shirt. Except for a 'B' in the center, though, a 'V' rested at the top of the anchor. "Nice."

"Stop ogling my ass."

"It's practically hanging out in front of me, Nessa," he groaned as she walked away.

"Do you think it's slutty?" she fretted.

"It's not slutty," he promised. "You're a heel now. You can't go to a match in your angelic white anymore."

She tugged at the bottom of the black halter top. "I just want people to focus on my skills in the ring, not wonder about my skills in the bedroom."

"Trust me, once they get a look at Barrett's face, they'll know about your skills in the bedroom." Cody flashed a grin when she rolled her eyes. "Besides, the people that worry about that shit aren't worth your time. Who are you going up against tonight?"

"Eve is making an appearance and will mouth off about how crappy I am, so I get to challenge her." Vanessa sat on the bench next to her bag and began pulling on her boots. "I get to kick her ass until Randy interferes."

"What's he going to do?"

"When we were in the ring earlier he said he would just knock me down while the ref's back is turned."

"You're talking to him now?" Cody breathed in surprise.

"I kind of have to, Codes. We can't communicate telepathically."

"And Barrett's okay with it?"

She grunted, lifting one foot to the edge of the bench to lace up her boots. "Not really. He's just worried."

* * *

><p>Watching the match on a monitor backstage, Wade rubbed his chin. Vanessa was dominating. He'd heard the announcers' comments about her skill, though they were more focused on her new gear than what she was doing in the ring. Eyes never leaving her as she backed Eve into the corner, he knew the time for Randy's interference was near. The referee forced Vanessa away when she continued to pummel Eve. When he turned, stooping to check on the slumped Diva, a roar came from the audience. Wade tensed at the sight of Randy running down the ramp.<p>

He slid into the ring, on his feet in a flash. Glaring at Vanessa, he advanced. She stood her ground and Wade flinched when she was picked up and slammed onto the mat. She curled into a ball, face a mask of agony as Randy slipped out of the ring. He backed away, shaking out his fingers. Eve took the opportunity and pinned Vanessa. The bell rang and the triumphant Diva bounced to her feet, grinning smugly. Vanessa moved to the side of the ring, pulling herself up by the middle rope. The camera followed her line of sight to Randy, who was at the top of the ramp.

His evil smirk sent a chill down Wade's spine.

**A/N: This took a little bit longer to get done that I'd planned! Eeps! I know, I know, it's only one day missed updating but I've gotten so used to updating practically every day that I felt like I'd forgotten something all day yesterday. Sigh.**

**Thank you all so very much for your lovely reviews. I _love_ the reactions Vanessa's mom got. (evil laugh goes here) And OMG, Blackhat with the "Randy is so miserable, GREAT!" seriously had me r.o.l.l.i.n.g. You guys are all so AWESOME! (kiss kiss, hug hug)**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty-Two

Standing at the large window overlooking the terminal, Vanessa watched the plan take off until the lights disappeared in the night sky. She sighed softly, already regretting her decision to stay in the States during Wade's visit to England. She had only herself to blame. Turning away, she picked up her carry-on bag and headed in the direction of of her own gate. Her bags were checked, she had already checked in. Now she had to find a way to while away the next two hours. Finally dropping into a seat, she placed her bag on the floor, draping one leg over it as she dug into her purse for the paperback she'd grabbed at the gift shop. Looking down at the cover, she groaned upon realizing she had read the book before.

She considered pulling out her Kindle, then remembered it was in one of the bags she had checked. "Oh well," she muttered, settling as comfortably as possible in the seat and turning to the first page.

The main characters had met and acknowledged physical attraction when she sensed someone taking the seat next to her. Pulling her gaze from the pages, she looked up to greet the person with a smile. It faltered, though, when she saw who it was.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, fingers curling around the binding of the book.

Randy held up an envelope with an airline's logo emblazoned across the front. "My flight leaves in about two hours."

"Oh." Sitting up a little straighter, she tried to turn her attention back to the book. She read the same paragraph four times before closing it, knowing it would be impossible to focus. Looking around the waiting area, she pleaded with God to send someone she knew to act as a rescuer. Anyone. Even her mother would have been welcome at that point. When it became apparent that her prayer would go unheeded, she began to bounce her leg. "Where are you headed?"

"Home. I'm stopping over in Atlanta for a couple days first."

_Fuck_. "What's in Atlanta?" she ventured, keeping her gaze on her bouncing knee.

"Friends." He cleared his throat, stretching out his long legs. "Where are you headed?"

"Cody invited me to spend Easter with his family. He left this afternoon." Her leg stopped bouncing and she finally looked at him again. "They're the _friends_ you mentioned, aren't they?"

"Vanessa, I didn't know you were-"

"Bullshit," she muttered. "Such bullshit. When are you going to accept the fact that we're over? When are you going to realize that I'm never coming back to you? When are you going to leave me alone?"

"About the time you realize that not everything I do revolves around you," he answered.

She shook her head, pushing the book into her purse. "You keep showing up, Randy. Every time I think to myself that I'm finally rid of you, you pop into my life."

"Ever think that's because we're meant to be together?"

Vanessa surged to her feet, cursing when her leg tangled with the strap of her carry-on. She felt herself begin to fall, but a pair of strong hands caught her. She tensed at the contact, holding her breath as she turned to face him. "Randy, please..."

"Vanessa... Babe, I know you don't believe me, but I am sorry for everything I put you through."

His voice was like warm velvet and she almost gave in. "Let go," she whispered.

"I can't. I can't let you go, babe."

"Please, Randy. I can't go through this." Placing her hands on his arms, she gave a gentle push.

"Answer one question for me." His grip eased, even as he he backed her up against the wall. "Do you love him?"

She narrowed her eyes. "That's none of your business-"

"Do you?" he asked gently. He looked into her eyes, his own as piercing and soul-reaching as she remembered.

Taking a deep breath, Vanessa pushed at his arms again, desperate to get away. "Like I said, it's none of your business, Randy."

"I just want you to be happy."

She released a laugh. "Right. Sure. You just want to control every facet of my life."

"You know we're perfect together. If we weren't, you wouldn't have called me to check what your mom had said." One hand left her waist, fingers tracing the length of her side before gently cupping her neck. "If you loved him, you would've walked away as soon as you saw me."

She was powerless. The gentle urge of the hand at her neck caused her head to tilt back and she whined when his lips descended. She beat against his chest in an attempt to push him off her, but it was futile. His kiss was gentle but persistent as he stepped closer, powerful thighs holding her against the wall. When his tongue swept over her lips she shook her head. His hands framed her face, fingers grasping at her hair. Her name was a mere breath and as his tongue slid by again she blinked back tears. He continued to kiss her, alternating between gentle nibbles and tender pecks, whispering her name and his utter devotion between each. One thigh slid between her legs, propping her up as his tongue finally slipped into her mouth.

Their tongues met and countless sweet memories flooded her mind. Her hands ceased their beating, flattening over his chest. She stopped trying to twist her head away, resting against the wall and tilting it back to just the right angle. The taste of him – his favorite cinnamon candies, the barest hint of cigarette – intoxicated her and for the time being, she forgot everything that had happened between them. He moaned into her mouth, one hand dropping to her thigh. He tugged gently, rising it to his hip, and she gripped the front of his shirt at the feel of his arousal. She arched against him, hands sliding upward to cup his neck as he deepened the kiss.

"You can't give up on this," he whispered, sucking her bottom lip between his. His teeth scraped, the sensation causing her to shiver, and his hand crept to her hip. "Tell me you don't miss this. Tell me you don't miss us."

Vanessa shook her head, tears slipping to her cheeks. "I don't," she whispered, even as her fingers gently traced the tips of the tribal tattoo that spread over his neck. The tattoo she had spent hours memorizing when they were first dating.

"Now look me in the eyes and tell me that, babe." His fingers swept over her cheek, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Tell me you really give one fuck about him."

"Stop," she whimpered, jerking her leg out of his grip. Wade's face flashed in her mind and she felt such overwhelming guilt she wanted to throw up. Pushing at his chest with all her might, she broke free as soon as she could, stumbling away. Clapping a hand over her mouth, she walked on shaking legs to gather her things. She heard him approaching and whirled around to face him. "I don't miss us. Because 'us' never existed. It was you, Randy. It was you and your wants. It was you that didn't give a flying fuck about me. All you cared about was yourself."

"You don't love him, babe." He reached for her, hand wrapping around her upper arm. "If you did, you never would have let that kiss happen."

"You didn't give me a choice," she hissed.

"You're stronger than you think you are, Vanessa. You know damn well you can catch me off guard." He caught her other arm and swiftly drew her close, his touch gentle. As though she were precious. "Look in my eyes and tell me you don't feel anything for me anymore. Don't try lying, because I always know when you lie."

"Randy," she whispered, swallowing anxiously.

"Tell me," he pleaded.

"I'm with him now. I can't-" she cut off when his hands slid upwards, gently massaging her shoulders. Eyes filling with fresh tears, she shook her head. "I can't," she whispered. "I can't, Randy."

"Can't what?" he murmured.

"I can't tell you because it would be a lie." She brushed her tears away, releasing a soft sob when he drew her into his embrace.

* * *

><p>On the plane, Vanessa pretended to sleep. Next to her, head tilted back and eyes closed, was Randy. She hadn't been surprised when he'd taken the empty seat by hers. He would always manage to find a a way to be near her. Whether she wanted him or not. Shifting in her seat, she cracked one eye to look at him. Knowing he was asleep by the way his lips were parted, she breathed a soft sigh of relief.<p>

_Didn't take you long, did it? Stu was barely out of the country before you crawled back into Randy's arms._ Her inner voice was brutally honest as it took over her thoughts. _What happens now?_

Good question. She was so confused. She felt so lost. While at the airport, she had ducked into a bathroom to call Cody, but had only gotten his voicemail. The text she had sent him had still been unanswered when she powered down her phone for the light. It was impossible to contact Wade. She knew that just hearing his voice would remind her of what she stood to lose if she gave in to Randy.

He shifted suddenly, reaching for her, and she watched his hand cover hers. Claiming her, even in his sleep.

_Slut_, her inner voice taunted when she didn't pull her hand away. She closed her eyes, biting down hard on her bottom lip.

_I can't tell you because it would be a lie_. She knew it would be. She doubted the day would ever come when she wouldn't have feelings for him. In the six months they had been together, their lives had weaved in and around each other until it had been impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. With him, she had shared things she had never shared before.

But Wade... She drew in a shuddering breath, slipping her hand from Randy's. With Wade, she felt a connection that nothing could compare to. He knew her innermost thoughts without having to ask. He remembered the innocuous things she said and repeated them to her at random moments. He listened to her dreams and her fears. When she was in his arms, the world around them ceased to exist. He offered a comfort that Randy had never even touched on. Safety. Security. Love.

But Randy...

She looked over at him to find his eyes open. He smiled, reaching for her again.

_I love him,_ she thought as their fingers twined. _I love him so much._

* * *

><p>The weekend passed in a blur. Randy stayed in a hotel, Vanessa at the Runnells home. Cody made a point of taking her out whenever Randy came by to speak to her father. She kept quiet, not protesting, not wanting him to catch on to the fact that something had happened. Mind in turmoil, she faked her way through the weekend, heart breaking with each call and text that came through from England.<p>

_My flight to St. Louis takes off at 3:30. I'd love if you came to see me off._

_Flying in Sunday at 3:30. Will you be there to greet me?_

Lying on the bed in the guest room, Vanessa released a harsh sigh as she went from one message to the other. Before she made up her mind, there was something she had to do. She looked to the clock by the bed, adding time in her head so she would know it wasn't too late to place a call to England.

Even though the connection was spotty and he sounded as though he were sitting in a metal drum, the sound of his voice brought tears to her eyes. "Hey," she greeted. "Can you talk?"

"Just a moment, love, let me step outside."

She settled against the pillows, drawing her knees to her chest as she waited. From downstairs came the delectable aroma of southern-fried chicken and she felt her stomach rumble with hunger. Cody's mother was quite possibly the best the best in the world when it came to cooking comfort food.

"Alright, love. Still there?" His voice was clearer, the strange echo gone.

"Yes. Where are you?"

"Pub. Ran into some of my old mates. You doing alright?"

She wet her lips. She shouldn't have this conversation over the phone, but it had to come out. "Stu... Something happened."

"What?"

"I met Randy at the airport the other night. I didn't meet him, he was there and I ran into him."

"Well I hope you sent his bollocks up to his throat." Wade chuckled, though it faded away when she didn't answer. "Vanessa? What happened with him?"

"We kissed." She winced, closing her eyes tightly. Even from halfway around the world, she could see his lips thin into the look of disapproval she rarely received. "Stu?"

"You kissed. Did he... Did he force you?"

"Not really." She sighed. "I kissed him back. I'm so sorry, Stu. I wanted to. And he flew to Atlanta on the same flight..."

"What are you saying, love? Did you sleep with him?"

Vanessa's eyes widened in horror. "No! God no, Stu! It was a kiss. Just a kiss."

"Do you want to?" he asked after a moment. And, when she didn't answer, he whispered, "Do you, love?"

She closed her eyes. She'd been wrestling with her feelings ever since the plane touched down and hadn't come up with any answers that would satisfy him. "No," she murmured. "I mean... I don't know. I love you, Stu."

"You don't sound very convinced. How wonderful, considering it's the first time you've told me."

"I hate this." Tears escaped and Vanessa let them fall wherever. "He's here. He's texting. He's calling. You're gone."

"Are you saying it's my fault?"

"I didn't say that. I don't think that," she promised.

"I find it very telling that the first time we're apart for more than a few hours you turn to the nearest man. Wait, strike that, you turn to _him_."

She was sobbing openly now. "I said I was sorry. I didn't want to keep this from you. Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Yes, of course. It makes me so happy that you're honest about your infidelities!"

"I wasn't unfaithful. It was one stupid kiss! I'm sorry it happened! I wanted to tell you because I love you. I really love you, Stu. And I don't want to keep secrets from you."

"I'm not getting into a screaming match with you over the phone, Vanessa," he said. His voice was quiet, but in a way that chilled her heart. "I better go."

"Stu, please, I want to talk this over."

"Now isn't the time. One of us may say something we regret later."

"I love you, Stu. I swear. I love you."

"Vanessa..." His sigh was harsh. "I love you. With all my heart. I just don't know if you can say the same."

The connection ended and she dropped the phone before dissolving into tears.

* * *

><p>Sunday afternoon, Vanessa once again lay on the bed. She had cried herself to sleep the night before, but Wade's cold tone invaded her dreams, making it impossible to stay asleep. Then Randy's voice has invaded her thoughts, causing her to pace the room until she felt she would go crazy. At some point she had picked up her phone to find a message from Wade, explaining he'd be leaving on a flight shortly after arriving in Atlanta.<p>

She was just drifting off when her body jumped slightly. Looking to the clock, she gasped. Hurriedly crawling out of the bed, she snatched up her phone, looking for the message she had saved. Where was it? "Damn it," she muttered, fingers fumbling with the touch screen. Finally locating it, she checked the clock again, snatched her purse from the dresser and rushed out the door.

Cody was heading up the stairs and nearly fell over the banister when she raced by. "Where's the fire?" he called after her.

Vanessa waved one hand. "I'll tell you later," she sent over her shoulder as she flung open the front door. Stamping one foot in frustration, she whirled around, shoes sliding on the polished floor. "I need you to take me to the airport."

"Why?" he asked.

"Please, Codes," she begged. "I need to be there."

With a sigh, he came down the stairs and followed her outside. When they were in his truck and on the road, he glanced at her. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

She shook her head, checking her watch. It would be close. She prayed she wouldn't miss him.

* * *

><p>Vanessa was out of the truck before Cody stopped it at the curb. She hastily slammed the door shut. "I'll explain later," she called to Cody, darting around people to get into the building. Her eyes darted left and right as she rushed inside. Looking for a monitor indicating arrivals and departures, she skidded to a stop upon finding one. <em>Please let it be delayed. Please, God! Please let him still be here.<em> Looking for the flight she needed information on, she felt her heard sink. There was no mention of a delay. She checked her watch again and moved quickly in the direction of the gate.

When she reached it, she was stopped by a security guard. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but only ticketed passengers are allowed beyond this point."

"It's really important. It'll only take a minute," she pleaded.

"Sorry, ma'am. You'll have to wait in Baggage Claim."

Vanessa set her jaw and turned around. She refused to wait in Baggage Claim. She wanted to go to the gates. She read the nearby monitor, took note of a flight leaving within the next thirty minutes, and marched to the nearest ticket agent. _Hurry up, hurry up_, she mentally begged as the woman slowly went through the transaction.

When she returned to the security guard, he did a double-take. She held up her ticket and silently dared him to turn her away again. She put her purse in the box on the conveyor belt, walked calmly through the detector, and waited for clearance. Receiving it, she snatched up her purse and bolted down the concourse, searching for Gate C1.

* * *

><p>Wade stretched as he stood, reaching into the overhead bin for his carry-on. He dreaded the wait for his baggage and wondered if he would ever grow used to toting half his life around with him at all times. Running a hand down his face, he gave a nod and smile to the flight attendant that saw him off the plane. Following the other passengers through Customs, he began to search faces on the other side. Looking for her.<p>

His heart gave a lurch when he realized she may not be there.

* * *

><p>Randy leaned one hip against the wall as he waited for the boarding call, eyes never leaving his phone. She had to come. He was a little bothered that she was waiting until literally the last minute, but knew she would be there. The spark between them would take forever to douse. Their kiss had merely fanned it into the raging inferno they'd always created. Surely she'd come.<p>

_"Ladies and gentleman, if you will please bear with us, we are still experiencing technical difficulties. We will be moving you to the next gate, where a replacement aircraft is being readied. We will begin pre-boarding shortly."_

Randy sighed, picking up his carry-on and slinging the strap over his shoulder. She had to come.

* * *

><p>Vanessa skidded to a stop upon locating a janitor. "Gate C1," she panted, pressing a hand to her chest. She listened as he told her where it was, using his hands to gesture directions and turns. Back up the hall, follow the A's. C1 at the end of the wing. Before he had finished, she was gone.<p>

A1... A1a... A2... Vanessa hoped the janitor wasn't working his first day. Heart racing, she was beginning to panic when she saw it. Gate C1. She turned into the waiting area and looked around. There were only a couple of people still there. The plane was still connected to the boarding bridge, she could see it through the window. But there didn't seem to be any activity. She was too late.

She looked up at the board above the check-in desk, then back down the hallway. Maybe she could still catch him. Taking a deep breath, she ran back down the hallway.

She had to catch him.

* * *

><p>Wade stopped at the first place he could for coffee after leaving Baggage Claim. Heart heavy, he placed his order, pulling out his phone and powering it up. By the time it had loaded fully he was out of the coffee shop. Seeing the voicemail emblem, he stepped to the side so he could call to check his messages.<p>

There was only one. Vanessa's voice floated into his ear and he felt his heart break all over again.

_I meant it, Stu. I love you._

Saving the message, he pushed his phone into his pocket and went to check in for his next flight. The initial outrage over her confession had quickly transformed into immense sadness, making the remainder of his trip miserable. It was probably the first time ever his parents had been glad to see him go.

He took his place in line, behind a woman who smelled of cheese, and looked at the time. Ten minutes.

She wasn't going to come.

* * *

><p>Vanessa turned to her right, eyes scanning the crowd. There he was, standing in line, towering over those near him. She hadn't missed him. She thanked God, Fate, and any other deities she could think of, she drew in a deep breath. Heart in her throat, she shouted his name.<p>

He turned, looking around, then his eye caught hers. For a moment, she couldn't move. She stood frozen to the spot, waiting for him to respond. He fought the smile, but it spread over his face and despite the distance between them she saw his eyes light up. She saw the bag drop from his hand, then he was moving towards her. Holding back a sob, she tried to push through the crowd, but it stubbornly refused to part for her. She growled in frustration and climbed on top of a bank of seats. She stepped off, into his arms, and clung to him, legs wrapping around his waist as he buried his face in her hair.

"Vanessa... Vanessa, I'm so sorry."

"I am too," she whispered through her tears. "You're more important to me than anything else in this world. I love you. With all my heart," she vowed. "I love you." Smiling, she curled her arms tighter around him, never wanting to let him go. "I love you, Stu."

**A/N: If you read my tumblr, I bet you thought this was going to turn out differently, didn't you? Gotcha!**

**Huge thank yous to all who've reviewed. I love you, I love you, I love you! :)**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

"Say it again," he whispered.

Vanessa smiled against his neck before leaning up to press a tender kiss to his lips. "I love you," she murmured.

Six months and she never tired of saying the words. They were on the tip of her tongue day and night. They were her first thought when she awoke every morning to see him at her side, and they were the last words she spoke ever night when wrapped in his arms. The words came out in the middle of conversations, at random moments on the long rides between venues, even when watching a movie together. She doubted she would ever grow tired of speaking them.

"I need to go," she whispered, hands sliding to his chest so she could break away. "Wish me luck."

"You don't need it. Be careful out there, love."

"I will." She flattened her palm over his heart before repeating the gesture on her own chest. Blowing a kiss, she rushed to the gorilla.

* * *

><p>Wade's eyes never left the ring as the match went on. Though originally slated for three minutes, it had been allowed to stretch out and was approaching the five minute mark. He winced as Eve jumped off the turnbuckle, elbow slamming into Vanessa's chest. He knew they had choreographed the match, even allowing for extra time, but there was something in the way Vanessa cried out, the way she curled into a ball, that made him forget they were being safe.<p>

The audience, which had appeared bored in the first minutes of the match, was now paying attention. He picked up on the chants, fighting a smile when he realized they were chanting Vanessa's name. He supposed the fans hated her a little bit less than they hated Eve. But he had to remain impassive. Leaning forward, he rested his hands on the apron. _End it_, he thought as she was dragged to her knees. Her hand wrapped around the middle rope, but Eve continued to lash out at her. He wished like hell that she would tell him who was slated to win the match. She never did. He'd heard the whispers backstage, though, and knew she was going to be defeated in her attempt to take the title from Eve.

Eyes narrowing as the referee came forward to break Eve's grasp, he tried to pick up the words that came from the man's mouth. Eve nodded as she backed away, hands resting on her hips as she waited. The referee knelt next to Vanessa, mouth moving, and Wade cursed the crowd's sudden interest, their catcalls and chants drowning out the ref's words.

His love shook her head, one hand on her chest as she staggered to her feet. Shocked to see the evidence of blood on her bottom lip, Wade curled his fingers against the apron. Meeting her gaze, he saw her slight nod before she turned her attention on Eve. There was a determination in her eyes as she held onto the rope, slowly bringing herself to her full height.

Then, suddenly, she sprang.

He could only stare in awe as she launched a full-on attack on the reigning Divas champion. Startled when Eve was slammed to the mat, he watched Vanessa crawl to the turnbuckle, hands braced on her knees as she waited. Just as Eve staggered to her feet, Vanessa leaped. Her feet made contact with a shoulder and both fell to the mat, Vanessa rising to her knees, looking at Eve, who lay motionless. Running her thumb over her bottom lip, she rolled to pin her. The bell rang, the crowd applauded, and Vanessa's new theme music began to play. Watching her raise the belt in the air, Wade knew the tears on her face were real.

He remained out of the ring as she celebrated, not wanting to intrude on her moment. She climbed onto the top turnbuckle, raising the belt over her head as tears trickled down her cheeks. She did the same in the opposite corner, finally hopping down and sliding out of the ring. As soon as she was upright he caught her in his arms, not caring that his on-air persona remained calm and cool each time she had a victory. He knew how important the belt she clutched was to her. Lips descending, he kissed her soundly, spinning her in a circle until she squealed.

At last, she was at the top.

* * *

><p>"Miss Tyler, you've just become the Divas champion. What's next?"<p>

Vanessa laughed as she entered the hotel room, recalling their playful banter after he had won the title just over six months before. Tossing the belt onto the bed, she offered a shrug. "I'm not sure," she answered, peeling off her white camisole. She heard Wade's intake of breath and smiled at him over her shoulder. Reaching to unbutton her denim cutoffs, she stepped out of her sandals. "There will be some idiots who believe they can take the title away from me, so I'll have to teach them a lesson. I am the best, after all."

He smiled, not moving from his spot by the door. His eyes roved over her figure, the sultry look in his eyes causing goosebumps to raise on her skin. "That you are, love."

"I suppose I'll have to get some sleep," she murmured, faking a yawn as she pushed her cutoffs down. Tossing her discarded clothing in the general direction of her suitcase, she stretched, another yawn bubbling from her throat. "It's positively exhausting, you know, being me."

"I've no doubt about that." He still didn't move forward.

"But first..." she trailed, turning to face him. "There is one thing I should do."

"And this would be?" he prompted as she walked towards him.

She smiled up at him, leaning to brush a kiss over his lips. "I need a shower."

He growled, reaching for her a second too late. She darted into the bathroom, her squeal of laughter when he finally caught her echoing off the tile walls. "A bloody shower?" he grunted, spinning her around to face him.

"I didn't say I'd be taking it alone," she cooed, arms winding around his neck when he lifted her up against him. "I need you in there."

"Why?" he questioned, leaning away slightly to help her pull off his shirt. "To scrub your back?"

"Mmm, lovely as that sounds, I need you for something more important..." Her hands slid down his back, fingers tracing each dip and curve of muscle before hooking in the waistband of his track pants. Their lips met in a sultry kiss and between them they managed to rid him of his clothing. She gasped into his mouth when he backed her into the tub, the wall cold against her back. His lips moved to her neck for a series of nibbles and she arched her back, tangling her fingers in his hair. "Make love to me, Stu."

* * *

><p>He watched her as she laughed with AJ and Cody. The new ring on her finger glittered in the low light, and he felt his heart constrict when he saw an arm slide around her waist. Leaning against the wall, he kept his eyes on her, heart breaking when she leaned against Wade. He ached to feel her in his arms, though he knew it was a fruitless wish.<p>

As long as she was happy, he should be happy. Right?

Except he wasn't. He would never be nearly half as happy as he had been when she'd been his. As he gulped down the remainder of his champagne, he felt the gentle tug on his arm and sighed. At the very least, his bed wouldn't be cold.

Their eyes met across the room and he held his breath, raising his empty glass in silent salute. The smile on her face was genuine. She was so happy...

Why hadn't she been that happy with him? Why had he let everything go wrong?

The hand on his arm tugged again and he regretfully turned to her, telling himself to forget Vanessa. She wasn't worth the pain.

But... She was. She always would be.

He still wanted her. Still needed her. Still loved her.

And even as congratulations rang out to the happy couple across the room, he knew he would do everything in his power to have her back where she belonged.

With him.

The End.

**A/N: Oh my gosh where do I begin? When I sat down to write this story I never knew it would change my life. It did – I've met so many wonderful people because of this little story. Jojo, Amber, you two have inspired and encouraged me every step of the way and I will always be indebted to you both. (The Wade pic spams on tumblr helped too... keep it up! ;))**

**rhodesXmorrisonXorton, babe7878, Blackhat, ThatGirl54, RKOCMJHGIRL, and everyone who has reviewed, thank you all SO much. I cannot emphasize how much your reviews helped me. To everyone who added this to their alerts and favorites, and to those that added me to their favorites, thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**I sincerely hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Is this the last we'll hear from Wade and Vanessa? I doubt it. These two will always hold a special place in my heart. And what about Randy? Even though he was a complete jackass sonofabitch, I have a soft spot for him. Again, thank you all so, so, very much!**

**-Josie**


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